Roquan politely but firmly turned away both Rennis and Doran when they came to his quarters early in the morning. He did not offer them any excuse whatsoever despite their puzzled looks. This was his Manor. It was time he began to assert some more control over it. He had no need to justify his actions.

He had Amanda summoned to him, as he had the previous two mornings. For the first time in his memory, he actually felt anxious about meeting with one of his slaves.

Amanda arrived, escorted by Sirinna as always. Sirinna gave her master a warm smile as she handed the chain to him, and quickly took her leave. Amanda appeared surprised to see the Overlord here. Normally, she was simply brought to his bath and prepared for her continued Presenting to the Overlords.

Instead, Roquan appeared to consider Amanda for a few moments in silence. She looked back at him, slightly nonplussed. Finally, Roquan bid her to turn around and removed first the restraints and then her chain, putting both aside.

Amanda glanced towards the inner chamber, and then returned her gaze to Roquan.

Roquan's eyes swept over her. She was so very different from his other slaves. He could see it just in the way she carried herself when she stood. There was that remaining trace of independence that he would never train out of her.

And now, ironically, he was about to come to depend upon it.

Yet even after having decided on this course of action, he was loathe to commit to it. He stepped away from Amanda for a moment to retrieve the goblet of wine he had filled just prior to her arrival. He normally did not drink in the mornings unless he had company, but he made an exception in this case.

He paused to take a long sip. He was still reconsidering even now.

Amanda began to wonder now if she had done something wrong. Was he to punish her now? Had he heard how she had spoken so sharply to her Trainer the day before? Or perhaps he approved of what Freya had done to her and was disappointed that she did not act properly?

He finally turned to her and took a breath. "Amanda, do you recall when you were given to Master Trennan?"

Amanda slowly nodded. "Yes, master." A pause. "Was he not pleased with me?"

"He was. That is not why I asked."

Amanda nodded again and remained silent, though it was obvious to Roquan that she was curious now.

"When you were with him, another Overlord visited him. One called Berin."

"Yes, master."

Roquan hesitated again and turned away, raising the goblet. "It is my understanding," he said as he idly swirled the wine around. "That he and Trennan had a discussion of some import."

Amanda said nothing. He had not asked her a question.

Finally, Roquan did. "Is this true, Amanda?"

"Yes, master," she said cautiously.

Silence for a very long moment. Roquan stared into his goblet, took a long sip again, and took another deep breath. In a low, slightly strained voice, he said, "Tell me what was said."

Amanda's eyes widened in surprise.

Roquan turned when Amanda did not answer. "I wish you to obey me, Amanda. Tell me what was said between the two Overlords."

Amanda met his cool gaze with her own steady and resolute one. "I can't, master."

"And why is that?"

"Mistress Sirinna said I am to be loyal. I ... I can't repeat what I hear from others."

Roquan looked about to bristle at her, but subsided. He let his breath go through his nose. "I suppose I should commend you for remembering that."

"Thank you, master."

He stepped towards her, lowering his goblet. "The fact of the matter remains, however, that I still wish you to tell me what I want to know."

Amanda was confused. She glanced off to the side, as if expecting Sirinna to pop in and tell her what to do. "But, master ... I don't understand ..."

"Amanda, it is very simple. I am your Overlord. You are my slave. I am giving you an order and expect it to be obeyed. Do not read any more into it than that."

Amanda's heart raced. She lifted her gaze to him again. "Why?"

Roquan looked taken aback. "I beg your pardon?"

"Why do you want me to tell you, master? Why do you want me to go against my loyalty?"

The truth of the matter was, Amanda was more than happy to tell him what she knew. She had had it rolling around in her head since she had heard it. The memory had not diminished by very much. But she wanted to know why he was having her break a rule. Roquan never did anything like this before. There had to be a reason behind it.

Roquan stared at her with narrowed gaze. To his frustration, the old defiance was back in Amanda's eyes.

"Your loyalty to your Overlord is more important in this case," he said evenly.

"That's not how it was explained to me."

"That is enough explanation for you."

"No, it isn't, master."

Roquan simply stared at her.

Amanda's heart thumped. She was pushing him hard. She knew that it was likely she was already in trouble, but she could not stop herself. She felt she had endured enough these last two days that she deserved something for it.

Amanda dared to speak again, her voice soft. "Master, how do I know this is not a test you have devised?"

Roquan raised an eyebrow. "A test?"

"Yes, master, a test. I'm ... I'm difficult to train. You said it yourself. I was a challenge. Those were your exact words. So why wouldn't you test me? It makes sense. And if that's the case, master, I don't want to fail this test."

Roquan suddenly found himself admiring the girl. That was far more logical thinking than he expected from his slaves. Not that his slaves were stupid. He loathed taking Captives that were less than average in intelligence. But their thought processes were not geared towards it. It reminded him why he went against tradition and tried to train her in the first place.

He also had to give her credit for wanting to do the right thing. She wanted to make the effort, at least. He could not fault her for that.

"I will assure you now, this is not a test," Roquan said in a lower voice. "I find your desire to remain true to your training to be admirable."

"Then I don't understand why you are asking me this, master."

"An Overlord is under no obligation to explain his actions to his slaves."

Amanda said nothing in response to this.

"I have attempted to be lenient with you, Amanda. But I must warn you that any continued disobedience from this point on will not be tolerated and will result in punishment."

"You would punish me for violating a rule a slave is supposed to follow, master?"

"This is not about rules!" Roquan snapped, her recalcitrance finally taxing his patience. "This is about vital information I require from you."

Amanda noted his choice of words. "Vital" information. This was important to him.

He could punish her for disobeying him. But he could not punish the information out of her. If she chose not to divulge it, there was nothing he could do about it. For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had control again.

At the same time, she was realistic. She knew she could not make arbitrary demands of him. But she could at least get him to treat her like an equal for a short time.

"Master," she said in an unfailingly polite voice. "Could you please tell me why you need this information?"

Roquan's eyes blazed anger for a moment, but he did not let it go any further than that. When he spoke again, his voice was icy, but not raised. "You would ask this despite what I have just said about being under no obligation to answer."

"Yes, master."

Roquan heard the unspoken corollary: just as she was under no obligation to tell him what he wanted to know.

Damn this girl! He found himself wishing she had had the Draught!

"Master, does this have anything to do with when you said you suspected the intentions of the other Overlords?"

Roquan paused. Some of his anger faded.

Hellfire, he thought. She is indeed a very clever girl.

Another unspoken question had been asked: if had been willing to share his thoughts with his slave then, why not again now?

He spoke in a careful, measured voice. "Amanda, when I stated that your loyalty to your Overlord is important, I meant it. You must never reveal anything we speak about in this chamber."

Amanda nodded quickly. "Yes, master."

"Do you know what this Conclave is about?"

"No, master."

"It is about the Emperor. And what he tried to do."

Amanda's eyes widened a touch at this, but she said nothing in comment.

She had known it was an Imperial agent that had posed as a slave and tried to kidnap Sirinna. Yet her anger over it had always been directed at Yanna. Yanna was someone she had trusted, someone to whom she had been close. The Emperor was more a concept to her than a person. She bore him no particular ill will.

Yet Roquan was upset enough about it to call this Conclave? There was something bigger going on than this, but she doubted he would tell her that much.

"I wish to have the Overlords confront the Emperor on this matter," Roquan continued. "I need support from the other Overlords to do this."

"And you need to know what I heard for this?"

"Support comes in many forms."

Amanda nodded. She understood perfectly. He was buying support. Suddenly, Narlass did not seem all that different from Earth.

"So I will ask you one more time. Tell me what you heard."

Amanda paused, but this time to collect her thoughts. "I heard Master Berin and Master Trennan making some sort of deal."

"This I suspected. Do you remember what Berin offered?"

"It was wine. And brandy."

Roquan furrowed his brow. "Brandy? But Doran does not make brandy."

"It wasn't a brand called Doran. He seemed to think it was better than that."

"Master Doran," Roquan corrected. "He is another Overlord. He is also the only source of fine wine in Oceanus."

Amanda paused again, her eyes darting as she chased down a memory. "Master, I think I remember him saying it was not from Oceanus. I think he said it was from, uh, Col ... Col-something."

Roquan's eyebrows shot up. "Colos? He offered him Colosi wine?"

"Colosi. Yes, master, that was it. And the brandy as well. I think master Trennan particularly liked that."

Little wonder that he did! It was no longer a mystery at all to Roquan why Trennan abandoned his offer without giving him so much as the time of day. There truly was no way that Roquan could top something like that. Not without offering something even more exotic and foreign.

"Is there anything else you heard, Amanda?" Roquan asked in a tired voice.

"Um ..."

Roquan turned fully towards Amanda, sensing the hesitation in her voice. "Yes?"

Amanda's mind raced. Should she tell him? Should she say something disparaging about an Overlord?

I suspect the intentions of the other Overlords.

The civilized man follows the rules; the wise man knows when the break them.

Amanda swallowed. "Yesterday, when you brought me to Master Gronnus ... when we went inside ... Mistress Freya was there."

Roquan considered this. "And did they speak on some matter?"

"No, master. He didn't stay."

"He didn't ..." Roquan paused. His eyes grew hard.

"He ... he gave me to Mistress Freya, master."

Roquan's eyes went from merely hard to blazing anger. The transition was so abrupt that Amanda actually backed up a step from him in fear.

"No, Amanda," he said, his voice strained but calm. "I am not angry with you at all."

"I couldn't tell her no, master ..."

"I know. You did as you should. You are not at fault for this ... this ... " Roquan managed to stop himself before he said anything disparaging himself, but just barely. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself.

Once she realized who the target of his anger was, Amanda felt relieved. It removed any further doubt from her mind that Freya had indeed done something wrong. It also helped loosen her tongue.

"Master, there's .... there's something else you should know about Mistress Freya."

Roquan gave her a stony look and nodded once.

"When she first had me, she ... I think she tried to get me to talk about my life before coming to Narlass."

Roquan remained silent for a long moment. "Are you quite sure of this?"

"Yes, master. I didn't fall for it. I stuck with the story that I had had the Draught, as you told me."

What she did not tell him was that she had slipped just a little. Possibly it was enough to make Freya suspicious, but she did not want to risk Roquan's reaction if she told him. It was better for him to think she was blameless at the moment.

"Is there anything else you need to tell me, Amanda?"

"Mistress Freya ... used something on me."

"If this is about the Naiduna, I am aware of this."

"No, master, this is something else. She ... it ... it was some kind of sex toy. Something Master Gronnus had. It was very odd. It made me cum. Continuously. It ..."

"Contraband," Roquan said flatly, his voice one of forced calm.

"Master?"

"Contraband, Amanda. That is what Gronnus brought into my Manor. If this happens again ... with any Overlord ... you will tell me at once."

Amanda nodded quickly, and then looked curiously at Roquan as his anger turned to intense concern. It was as close to real worry as she had ever seen from him.

"When Freya used this on you ... did she say anything to you about it?"

"Just that she used it as a reward for her own slaves. She seemed to believe I should enjoy it the same way."

Roquan did not respond to this immediately. Now Amanda was sure she saw a troubled look in those eyes.

"Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it. I had to have her stop, master."

"Yes, I understand."

"Why would she think that something like that would be enjoyable if ..."

"I believe that's all I need from you at the moment," Roquan said quickly. He turned away to retrieve the chain and restraints. "I will not be Presenting you further this day. I will instead take you back to Sirinna ... You deserve a rest."

Amanda blinked at this, surprised. "Thank you, master."

"You must not let anyone know we spoke of these things. Not even Sirinna. Do I make myself clear on this?"

Amanda nodded again, though inwardly she balked at not being able to say anything to Sirinna about it. There was still something about all this that bothered her, and she was not sure what it was. At the moment, she was simply grateful for a respite from what the Overlords had been putting her through.

At the same time, she wondered why Roquan seemed uncomfortable when she started speaking to him about what Freya had said to her. She could not help but think that she was still not being told the entire story.

Doran walked away from Roquan's quarters with heavy footfalls, a look of frustration on his face. Just as he turned onto the main path, Rennis came up to him.

"He is still refusing to see me!" Doran thundered, throwing up his arms.

Rennis narrowed his eyes and looked past the other Overlord. "That's very unusual for him, Doran. Perhaps if I talked to him."

Rennis started past Doran, but Doran stepped in front of him and pushed him back. "He made it very clear he did not wish to be disturbed by anyone, and that includes you."

Rennis made a face. "You can't be serious."

"I do not understand it any more than you do!" Doran declared. "We've lost Trennan! We must regroup from this defeat and find a means of offsetting it best we can. The longer we delay, the more likely Gronnus will be able to force an early vote! Gah! I've never seen such an apathetic, self-indulgent group of ..."

"Easy, easy!" Rennis urged in a low but urgent voice.

Up the road, another Overlord approached them, on his way towards the merchant bazaar. Doran calmed himself enough to force a smile and a polite nod as he went on his way.

"And you were the one counseling Roquan on such behavior," Rennis said with a smirk.

"Oh, shut up! Surely you see it yourself. Most of the Overlords are more interested in the merchants than this Conclave. From what I know of past Conclaves, you could always find at least a few willing to debate the topic, and sometimes quite hotly as well! What is wrong with these people?"

Rennis sighed and gave the other Overlord a humorless smirk. He had started to see it himself. He knew Overlords were a rather staid lot, but never like this. Perhaps Roquan was right after all. The Overlords of Oceanus had indeed become too complacent, too concerned with the status quo and toeing the line.

"So what are you going to do?" Rennis asked.

"Well, nothing, now! I had some good ideas for some other deals we could make, but I need him for that."

"Perhaps you should go make them yourself."

Doran was already shaking his head. "I've told Roquan and now I'll tell you. It has to come from him. If it came from anyone else, it would weaken his position. He must look as if cares about his case."

"He does care about it. That's what's frustrating to him, and frankly now me. I'm starting to wish as he does, that he didn't have to jump through all these hoops in order to accomplish what he wants."

Doran thought hard for a moment. "All right. Give me a few days to think up some more deals. Then we'll force a Full Conclave."

Rennis nodded uneasily. A Full Conclave was a maneuver usually reserved for the host, thought technically any Overlord could call for one. Roquan had the right to demand once during the proceedings that all Overlords attend the next daily gathering. No one was exempted, and the only discussion allowed was on the merits of the case.

It was not exercised lightly. Overlords did not care for being bossed around, and the one that called a Full Conclave often drew some ire from the others. Yet it was a viable tactic for getting an issue on the table.

Rennis knew Doran must be desperate if he were suggesting this. Yet Rennis could see no alternative either.

"Rennis, nothing about this Conclave is going as expected. Nothing! I wish I knew ..."

"Wait a minute, Doran," Rennis said, his gaze distracted by something past Doran and off to the side. "Take a look over there."

Doran frowned and turned his head.

The two of them spied a lanky, dark-haired young man approach Roquan's quarters and knock at the door. After a short wait, he opened the door and let himself in, closing it behind him.

"Now what in hellfire was that about?" Doran demanded. "Who was that?"

"I think that was the merchant that visited Roquan the other day."

"And why does he rate an invite and we do not? What game is Roquan playing?"

Rennis did not know. But even with as little information as he had, he did not like what he was seeing.

The Wanderer listened. He was very good at this. He let the Overlord speak without interruption, holding his tongue until the request had been made. When Roquan was done, Jollis appeared to ponder thoughtfully, his face holding an expression of polite introspection. He knew he must not appear too eager or too quick with the solution, even though he had been preparing for this very moment all along.

"I believe I can help you, your Lordship," Jollis finally said in carefully measured tones.

"Can you procure more Colosi wine and brandy to counter Overlord Berin's offer?"

Jollis allowed himself a small smile. "Ah, yes, counter his offer with a larger quantity. This can work. But ... would it not be better for the deal to offer something better?"

Roquan looked oddly at the merchant. "Better than Colosi?"

"Indeed, your Lordship. Do you believe Overlord Trennan will be amendable to, say ... aged Urisi brandy?"

Roquan stared. "You are not serious. Please, confine yourself to items which you can actually produce."

"But I can indeed produce this if you wish it. As I have told you before, my esteemed Overlord, I have very good contacts."

"Urisi brandy ... let alone aged brandy ... is some of the most highly sought after liquor on Narlass," Roquan declared loudly. "How can you produce this on demand?"

"It will indeed take a little time to arrange for a full delivery, understandably. However, if it would please you, I can Farview a runner in a nearby town. He is keeping a small supply of that brandy safe for me. I can have him deliver a single bottle so that I may prove to you that I can obtain these goods."

Normally, to suggest that a merchant could not deliver on something he offered was an insult. Even Clanless merchants had a strong sense of pride, and had this been Uridon, the Clan Leader would have felt rather slighted. Jollis, however, let it slide. His real mission was far more important to let a point of protocol disrupt it.

And planting the idea that he had actual runners nearby would allay suspicion later. Merchants sometimes employed individuals that traveled in areas nearby to the merchant. Their job was exactly what Jollis had proposed for his fictitious one: deliver small amounts of goods, services, or information on a day's notice or less.

Roquan appeared deeply thoughtful now. Good. Jollis was quite pleased.

"Just how much brandy could you procure, Jollis?" the Overlord finally asked.

"To properly counter the offer you have described to me, your Lordship, and to make it difficult for it to be countered again, I would suggest two hundred bottles."

"Two hundred? You can deliver that much?"

"In due time, yes. It will most definitely be available by the time the Conclave has concluded. Trennan will be able to take it when he leaves." Jollis smiled. "Surely that will impress him further? He will have it in his hands when he leaves, as opposed to delivering it to his Manor at a later date."

"And how much will this cost me?"

Jollis paused. He knew the financial straits of this Overlord. He also suspected that others were improving his supply of platinum and goods, from what had been rumored. "Let us settle on that later," he said carefully. "I do promise you a fair price, your Lordship."

Roquan hesitated. "Are you quite sure of that? Is it not customary to conclude the deal up front?"

Jollis' smile widened. "Ah, but this is rather unconventional, is it not? And some say I am a most unconventional merchant. It works out, one would think."

Roquan's lips curled into a tiny smile. "Perhaps that is true, Jollis. How soon do you think you can have a bottle of this brandy delivered to you?"

"By first light tomorrow, if I contact him immediately."

"Very good. I fear that I will need to show Trennan that bottle myself to convince him that I can actually procure it."

"Then we have a deal, your Lordship?"

Roquan paused a moment, then gave a single nod of his head. "We have a deal, Merchant Jollis."

"Most excellent," Jollis said brightly. "I am pleased. And I daresay you will be as well."

"I certainly hope so, Jollis. I cannot begin to express to you how important this deal is to me."

There was no need for the Overlord to do such a thing. Jollis already knew how important it was, and in many more ways than Roquan would ever realize.

When Amanda had been brought back to Sirinna that morning, she was sure that her mistress would put her immediately back to her training. After all, why waste a morning? Had she not been Presented, this is precisely what she would have been doing.

Instead, Sirinna was strangely silent after Roquan had left. When Amanda tried to say something, Sirinna simply shook her head and raised a finger to her lips. She then gestured for Amanda to turn around.

Puzzled, Amanda did as she was told, and to her surprise, the restraints were removed. She was sure that Sirinna would just leave them on and bring her to the Circle. Then the chain was removed, but as Amanda was about to turn, Sirinna placed her hands on Amanda's shoulders and stopped her.

"Just stand still for a short while," Sirinna whispered into Amanda's ear. There was a husky cadence to it.

"Aren't we going to continue my training this morning, mistress?"

Sirinna slipped her hands around Amanda's waist. "Not now, Amanda. And ... you don't have to call me mistress for a little while."

"I don't? But ... oh ..."

Sirinna's hands slid slowly and sensuously over Amanda's body, first up her sides, then back down over her hips and past them to her thighs. Amanda let a small sigh escape from her lips. The touch was simply pleasant at first. She closed her eyes and leaned back into her lover, enjoying the feel of Sirinna's body against her own.

Amanda had so missed this. Simple affection and comfort. They had gone far too long without it.

Sirinna's hands grew steadily bolder. Sliding up Amanda's sides, they teased the sides of her breasts, fingers pressing into them just enough to make them jiggle against her chest. Back down again, and they slipped forward, growing closer to Amanda's sex each time. Then backward, light caresses playing over Amanda's backside.

Amanda felt Sirinna kiss her neck lightly. She tilted her head to the side in acceptance. Her lips parted as she let go another sigh, this one needful as well as content. When Sirinna's hands moved up again, her fingers gently cupped Amanda's breasts.

Despite how much raw sex she had had over the past few days, Amanda needed this from Sirinna so badly that she responded to her lover's touch quickly. When Sirinna's fingers played with Amanda's nipples, they were already growing firm with her growing arousal and anticipation. Amanda uttered a tiny moan, craving more of Sirinna's caress.

"Sirinna, I've missed this ... I've missed this so badly ..."

"I know, love. So have I."

Sirinna swirled her fingertips against Amanda's nipples. Amanda shuddered, a low, whimpering moan escaping from between her parted lips. Her feet slid apart, almost of their own accord, the heat growing between her legs. Sirinna let one of her hands drop from her lover's breast, and teased Amanda with furtive, light touches around her thighs and near the apex of her sex.

"Oh, gods, Sirinna ..." Amanda moaned.

But to Amanda's initial disappointment, Sirinna withdrew both her hands. Instead, she bid Amanda to turn around. As she did, Sirinna slid her arms around Amanda once more and drew her close. Amanda let out a small, excited sigh as their bodies came together, and then another soft moan as their lips touched.

Amanda tilted her head and returned her lover's kiss. She drew her breath in sharply when she felt Sirinna's fingers sink into her wet folds. She moaned deeply into the kiss, panting as Sirinna's fingers moved in slow but firm strokes.

Amanda grew desperate to return the gesture. She slipped a hand between them and over Sirinna's mound. Sirinna's breath quickened, Amanda's fingers making a very wet sound as they slid into Sirinna's pussy.

The two of them stood clutching at each other's mound, stroking faster and harder, their pants rising, their bodies writhing against each other. Finally, it was Sirinna that broke the kiss of first. "Oh gods ..." she murmured in a badly quavering voice. "I-I didn't realize just how much I had missed this as well ..."

Sirinna was delighted. It could still do it. This expression of their love could still make her as shaky as a new Captive.

"We better ... uhhhn ... b-better take this to the bed, Sirinna," Amanda moaned. "U-unless you want me to cum right here ..."

Sirinna chuckled softly. "Maybe I do," she whispered into Amanda's ear.

"What? But ... oh ... oh, Sirinna ... oh gods! ..."

Sirinna's fingers eased into Amanda's tunnel. Amanda panted wildly, and tried to do the same thing to Sirinna, until the both of them were moaning loudly.

"We'll take the next one more slowly," Sirinna panted. "I promise."

"O-okay ... ohhh ... "

"Amanda, yes, that's nice ... more ... faster ..."

Neither one of them became capable of speech after this, fingers squishing against each other's wet cunts. They both rose and then soared, their bodies shaking with the need for release. Finally, each one was frantically stroking the other's slot, each driven by her own need and the excitement of bringing her lover to release.

Amanda crested first, crying out in pleasure as she throbbed. Her fingers pressed harder into Sirinna's slot and triggered her lover's orgasm next. Amanda could almost feel Sirinna's pussy pulsing under her fingers.

They kissed one more time as their shared climax faded, each pressing her fingers to the other until they were played out. Sirinna smiled affectionately at Amanda and took her hand.

This was the first time that Amanda had shared Sirinna's bed outside of meals for far too long. It was wonderful just to be able to snuggle up with Sirinna on the soft furs as the breeze blew in off the ocean from the window behind the bed. They hugged and kissed, growing steadily more passionate as their desire returned.

When their need had been rekindled fully, Sirinna surprised Amanda by embracing her young lover and rolling on the bed until Amanda was on top. It was as if Sirinna were tacitly giving control to her charge, even though from the way they smiled at each other, they knew it was mutual pleasure that they both sought.

Amanda turned herself around. Sirinna opened her legs eagerly and slid her hands around Amanda's hips, drawing them down towards her face willingly. Very soon, each nuzzled at the the other's mound, tongues exploring tender, wet flesh. There was no hurry, no sense of urgency. Movements were measured, slow, and deliberate. Each teased the other's nub, coaxing it to swell in greater arousal and excitement, until the most furtive licks sent shudders of pleasure through them.

Small moans rose into the air as their need grew. Tongue and lips grew bolder, pressing harder against hot flesh. Fingers slid into tight tunnels. Breathing became ragged as the pleasure intensified, feeding into the ministrations given to the other. Fingers slid in deeper, stroking a most sensitive spot as tongues licked with abandon at straining pussies. Amanda and Sirinna both moaned loudly, each about to reach a crescendo, neither wanting to get there before the other.

Sirinna was the more skilled of the two of them. She held herself, straining hard for release, her body trembling. She heard the high-pitched whimpers as Amanda was ready to orgasm, and found to her surprise that Amanda was holding back as well! Sirinna was impressed that Amanda had managed that much control without being taught extensively.

But Sirinna knew it would not last, and she thrust to fingers hard in and out of Amanda's cunt.

This was too much for Amanda to hold against. She crested, and Sirinna let go. Both were cumming at the same time, their pussies throbbing hard, each moaning and panting loudly in mutual pleasure.

They coaxed each other's orgasm along, making the pleasure last as long as possible. When it finally faded, both lovers sated, Amanda turned around and embraced Sirinna tightly. They kissed, tongues sliding past yielding lips, sharing each other's juices eagerly.

When the kiss ended, Amanda uttered a soft, contented sigh and tucked her head under Sirinna's chin, clutching at her. "Thank you," Amanda said softly.

Sirinna smiled and lovingly stroked Amanda's hair. "I needed that as well, love," she said softly. "I promise it won't be much longer before we can go back to doing this every night."

Amanda was grateful for this for another reason. It helped remove some guilt she had been feeling. She had found herself anticipating Jollis' nightly visits to her almost as much as she had looked forward to her time with Sirinna. It was not the same kind of anticipation; Amanda did not view Jollis as a lover like Sirinna. But it still had bothered her that she had found this other interest at all.

So much was going on that Amanda did not completely understand. Now in this moment of relaxation, some of it tried to crystallize in her head. She kept coming back to Freya and that toy of hers, and Roquan's reaction to it. What had she missed? She felt she was on the verge of a discovery of some sort.

It both excited her and worried her at the same time.

This time there would be no mistakes.

Jollis waited until he saw that Herdon was otherwise occupied. He did not trust the merchant to heed his warning. The more he learned of the man, the more he understood that Herdon was far more dangerous that he had given the man credit for. It was quite possible that Herdon could indeed follow him undetected if the man put his mind to it, now that Herdon knew Jollis was on his guard.

Jollis slipped out of the merchant camp and into the thick of the forest that surrounded the perimeter, extracting a blue pearl from his pocket. He left it concealed in his closed hand until he was out of sight of the camp.

He found a small open space, just large enough. The trees closed in on either side of him, the calls of birds and drone of insects loud to his ears. Nevertheless, his master should hear him well enough.

He took one last look around him, though he knew perfectly well that, as thick as the trees were around him, he could be observed without even his skills detecting the attempt. Nevertheless, some risks must be taken with any mission such as this.

Jollis placed the pearl in the crook of a large branching root near the base of a tree. He passed his hand over it, straightened, and waited.

It was a short while before an image shimmered into view in the moist tropical air. Now a man that looked very much like an older version of Jollis himself stood facing his younger counterpart. The face was aged, but darkly handsome, and the eyes betrayed patience and wisdom. His body was clad in a simple, flowing robe.

The older one bowed once. Jollis did so reverently in return.

"Master," Jollis said in a low, respectful voice. "I am of need."

"Speak your need, Wandering Spirit," the man said in a soft, melodic voice.

"I require aged Urisi brandy. Two hundred bottles. We may use the merchant we captured from three moons ago."

The wise man nodded, a serene smiled playing across his lips. "And it was I that had doubted your presence of mind when you suggested we take him."

"Ah, but I have benefited from your years of teaching, master."

The older man chuckled. "And you still have a smooth tongue, I see."

Jollis smiled. "Use your skills and use them well. Another of your wise teachings, master."

"And so, now the apprentice teaches the master, hmm? Ah, but it was inevitable! So be it. I shall see about this at once. Where shall we deliver it?"

"I have noticed many empty slave quarters on the east side of the Manor. Perhaps inquire of the slave what she knows of that area."

"It shall be done. I should make it happen by dusk by your reckoning."

Jollis bowed again. "Your humble apprentice thanks you."

"And does the task go well, Wandering Spirit?"

"Indeed, master. I have but one difficulty."

"Oh? Is it something you will need further assistance with?"

Jollis considered carefully. It was a test of sorts. Another teaching of his master was "always do the most with the least".

"I do not believe so. Not at the moment. I may work through another for this, if my suspicions are correct."

"Ah, would this be the young girl?"

"Most wise of you, master. Yes, indeed. She is everything we had hoped for."

"Do you believe her up to the task? Is she up to the challenge?"

"That remains to be seen. Yet I am very hopeful. She is as strong of will as we had thought. I am optimistic."

The master smiled. "Very good, Wandering Spirit. Please continue at your task. You continue to honor me and my teachings."

Jollis bowed reverently again, but could not disguise the wide smile on his face from his master's praise. "I must go now and prepare."

"I will look forward to hearing from you again. To the future."

"To the future, wise one."

Jollis waved his hand and ended the Farview audience.

He quickly retrieved the pearl and tucked it into his pocket. He started back towards the camp, satisfied that he had set things in motion as his master had wished.

No sooner had he stepped from the trees when he was confronted with the business end of a crossbow.

Jollis stopped and smiled serenely at Herdon, in an almost perfect duplication of his master's smile. "Well met, Merchant Herdon," said Jollis smoothly. "You have me at a disadvantage."

Herdon kept the crossbow leveled at Jollis. "Do you always go sneaking off into the forest, Jollis?" he said in a dark voice.

"Do you always point your weapon at a fellow merchant, Herdon?" His smile did not alter one bit.

There was a long moment of tense silence, and then Herdon slowly lowered his bow. He scowled at the foreign merchant. "Just what were you doing back there?"

"That, I am sorry to say my dear Herdon, is not something I am required to answer."

"That almost makes it sound like you were doing something you weren't supposed to."

Jollis chuckled. "And what rule might I have broken in the middle of a dense forest?"

"Then why won't you tell me what you were doing?"

"Ah, but perhaps the simplest answer is the correct one."

Herdon raised a questioning eyebrow.

"I simply do not wish to tell you."

Herdon bristled. "I cannot properly protect this camp when people like you decide to wander off like that."

"I see. Your motivation is purely one of my safety. I am most appreciative of this, and I shall be sure to tell the Clan Leader that you are doing a fine job."

Herdon had to take a deep breath to stop himself from raising the crossbow again. Instead, he gave the crossbow a jerk back towards the camp. "Fine. Go about your business."

"Thank you, my esteemed merchant! I am most grateful to hear I have your leave." Jollis gave Herdon one final smile and a nod of his head before heading away.

Herdon gritted his teeth, and his finger tightened reflexively around the trigger.

That was the worst and most infuriating sarcasm of all: delivered without a single change to the cadence of the voice and nary a flicker to the eyes. Somehow, Herdon felt that made this man even more dangerous.

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