"You gave him your vote?! How could you do this to me?!"

Freya did not appear to hear Gronnus at first. Her attention was focused on unwrapping a small parcel she had purchased from the merchants shortly after the Conclave had adjourned for the day. As she removed the wrapping from a small wooden box, she turned her head and gave Gronnus a bored look. "My vote was never yours to begin with. Or anyone's other than mine from the start."

"But you said you would deal with me!"

"No. I said I would consider it. I did. You came up short."

Gronnus fumed, his hands clenched into fists. He watched as Freya opened the wooden box and removed a triangle of glossy black material.

"You know what Roquan thinks of contraband in his Manor, Freya," Gronnus snapped.

Freya simply grinned at him. "And how many Overlords here are paying attention to that? Besides, there is a loophole. He can do nothing about goods purchased here."

"But you cannot use it."

Freya held up the object for a few moments, examining it. It appeared to flow like thick fluid. She carefully placed it back in the box. "Oh, but I can. You see, I have every right to use it on my property."

"Ah. So that is a 'present' for your new slave, is it?"

Freya closed the box. "Let's just say it will help maintain her discipline as best as it can under the circumstances." She stood up. "Now, Gronnus, be a dear, and do stop bothering me about the Conclave."

"But, Freya, I need ...!"

"I do not care what you need. I do not care what any else needs at the moment, for that matter. I have what I came here for. That is all that matters to me. I will give my vote to Roquan, regardless of how the rest of it goes. Is that clear?"

Gronnus' face fell, then hardened to stone as he stared at Freya. "Very clear," he said tersely.

"Good. Now get out."

Without another word, Gronnus turned and left Freya's quarters.

Gronnus walked a few steps away from the building and paused. He turned his gaze to the side, where Roquan was leading Amanda towards another Overlord's quarters. He narrowed his eyes, still fuming. Already, Farlor would no longer parlay with him! Roquan had already made him a counteroffer and it appeared the Overlord would accept it! Apparently, word was getting around about Roquan's generosity.

But how was he doing it? How did he know just what to offer the Overlords to turn them to his side?

Another movement caught his attention. In the distance, Berin was walking down the path that wound through the rough center of the collection of Overlord dwellings, heading towards the very end of the row, where his own quarters lay. Gronnus watched as the man disappeared inside of it.

Gronnus believed he now knew what was happening.

The Overlord turned and marched quickly towards Berin's quarters. Once there, he did not announce himself, but instead simply pushed in the door.

A startled Berin whirled around to face him, nearly spilling the brandy he had just poured for himself. "Oh! Gronnus! Heavens! You gave a me such a fright, you did. Would you care to join me in a ..."

Gronnus stomped over to Berin and yanked the glass from his hand, splashing brandy over Berin's shirt. Just as Berin was looking at Gronnus in stunned surprise, Gronnus gave the man a hard shove in the chest and sent him stumbling backwards. He hit the edge of the bed and fell down hard onto it, very nearly sliding to the floor before catching himself.

"M-my dear Gronnus, what has gotten into ...?"

"Shut up! You did it, didn't you?"

Berin blinked in fear and confusion. "Did it? Did what? I don't ..."

"Don't lie to me!" Gronnus thundered. "You cut a deal with Roquan!"

Berin's eyes were saucers. "With Roquan? Are you mad, Gronnus?"

"How else is he finding out what to counteroffer? How else is he even getting the goods that he is promising them? How, Berin, how?!"

Berin swallowed, panting, looking up in fear at the other Overlord. He held a hand aloft as if expecting to ward off a blow. "Gronnus, g-get a hold of yourself, for the love of the gods! Why would I deal with him? Why? There's no profit in that, Gronnus! Where would he get that kind of platinum?"

Gronnus appeared to consider this for a moment. "He got his information somehow, Berin," he said, his voice a little lower now.

Berin very slowly lowered his arm. "It wasn't me. Honestly, Gronnus, it wasn't me. There's no point in me turning on you. You forget, I'm on your side politically as well. I don't want to move against the Emperor! Not ... not one like this."

Gronnus narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

"Emperor Z'haas is too powerful," Berin said in a small, scared voice. "I told you this before. My contacts at the Imperium have never seen anything like it. It's ... it's getting worse, Gronnus. Things are changing daily! He's turned the Imperial Palace into a virtual fortress!"

Gronnus frowned deeply at this, if for no other reason than to hide the sense of dread that was coming over him as well. He was beginning to regret ever having consorted with the Emperor in the first place. He had no idea that Z'haas was going to get delusions of greater power. Or that he would acquire the means and influence to carry them out.

But was he really headed towards war, as he had heard Roquan suggest? Surely even Z'haas would not go that far? Yet he contemplated assassinating Roquan. Would a sane Emperor do this?

"Then if you did not do this, who did?" Gronnus demanded.

Berin slowly rose to his feet. "I don't know. And that is the honest truth. There was no one at all with me and the other Overlord whenever I did my deals. Well, no one except that slave girl."

Gronnus paused. "Slave girl? Amanda, you mean?"

"Yes, Amanda. The one being Presented."

Gronnus considered this for a long moment, until Berin began to look at him curiously. "No," Gronnus said softly to himself. "That cannot ... even Roquan wouldn't ..."

"What is it?" Berin asked.

"Nothing," Gronnus said gruffly. He turned to Berin. "Apologies for my outburst. I am under a great deal of stress."

Berin sighed and nodded. "Aren't we all. I have a bad feeling, Gronnus, that this is only the start. No matter what the outcome of the Conclave."

Gronnus was not listening. He was mulling over the incredible conclusion that he had just formed in his head. He just was not sure what he could do with it yet.

Roquan listened as Amanda recounted what she had heard between Berin and the last of the Overlords with whom Roquan was to deal that day. This time Amanda had been able to recall more detail, as all she had been required to do after servicing the Overlord was lie quietly on the bed as they spoke.

"You have done very well, Amanda," Roquan said. "With this information I should be able to close on another deal."

"Will this give you enough support in the Conclave, master, or will you need me again after today?"

"This will be last deal," he said simply.

Amanda was glad to hear this. Even though she had been settling into her role rather easily, she was becoming increasingly nervous that somehow someone would find out. Despite the fact that it would likely be Roquan that got into trouble over it, she didn't want to see that happen, either.

"Master, may I ask a question?"

"Certainly, Amanda."

"When the Conclave is over, will the merchants be leaving as well?"

"Very shortly afterward, I would imagine." He paused. "I am curious as to why you inquired about this."

Amanda hesitated, and wished she had not asked it in the first place. She could not reveal the real reason, that she wanted her time with Sirinna again in the evenings. Though, admittedly, she would miss Jollis. He was very kind to her, and she felt affection for him.

She decided she could tell at least a partial truth after all.

"The merchant that is housed with Sirinna is interested more in me than her. I pleased him rather well. It was nice to feel that I was doing something right."

"Really? He has been selecting you over Sirinna?"

Amanda nodded. "Yes, master, every night."

"Has he treated you properly?"

"Yes, very much so. I was quite enjoying it."

Yes, it was as it always was with Amanda. If she were doing something because it was enjoyable, or because she had a strong sense of duty behind it, she did well. What was missing was the innate sense of enjoyment that the Draught would have brought her.

He now liked the idea of giving her to Freya even less. She would not know how to handle Amanda. She would be too heavy-handed on the girl, which would only bring more resistance, which would make Freya even heavier in her punishments, and so on. He hated himself for putting the girl through this, even if it wound up being temporary.

And that was a big "if." He still had no idea how to back out of the deal without risking his reputation and possibly his Manor as well.

If this were not enough, he realized that he had an even bigger problem to deal with, and that was Sirinna. He had tried to ignore it, or to convince himself that it was not really there, but this was folly. He had been fooling himself, possibly from the start.

Rennis had been right. Roquan had let his ego get the best of him. Had he been thinking clearly, he would never have allowed Amanda to have any choice at all. He would have sent her home that night.

Roquan reattached the chain to her collar and the cuffs to her wrists. "I will bring you back to Sirinna myself. I will need to speak with her on an important matter."

"Yes, master," Amanda said, nodding, and wondering about the somber look in her Overlord's eyes.

"Well, Gronnus, the deal has been made," Berin said with a merrier tone in his voice as he visited with his cohort. A smile had returned to his face as well. "There is simply no way Roquan can possibly top this. It is quite unusual for an Overlord to wish precious stones, and there are very few suppliers, even in the black market. Now ... er ... Gronnus, are you listening to me?"

Gronnus blinked and looked at Berin. "What? Yes, Berin, I heard you."

"Is something the matter? Something I need to know?"

"I assume Amanda was there when you spoke with him."

"Well, yes, she was, but what does that have anything to do with it?"

Gronnus had taken the time to observe Roquan when he went to fetch Amanda. Gronnus had followed him back to his quarters from a discreet distance and watched. It took a rather inordinate amount of time for them to leave and proceed with returning Amanda to her Trainer.

The beleaguered Overlord was beginning to dread that what he had suspected was true. Roquan was using Amanda to report back to him what was spoken in confidence between Berin and the Overlords with whom he had been doing business.

But the information was useless to him! He had no definite proof! And now Amanda would be Freya's possession by nightfall, and Freya would refuse any attempt to investigate anything that involved Amanda directly. Now that she had what she wanted, she would not want any further controversy to descend upon her prized new possession.

Gronnus sighed. "Nothing, Berin," he said in a tired voice. "Absolutely nothing."

"Well ... Gronnus, I thought you'd be pleased that ..."

"Yes, I am, Berin. You did what you were supposed to do. Now ... leave me."

"Do you not wish to plan your next ...?"

"There will not be a next one!" Gronnus thundered. "There are no more Overlords we can sway with deals that serpent-tongue Doran has not already spoken to! If you recall, we picked these four specifically because Roquan had little influence with them."

Berin sighed despondently. "Honestly, Gronnus, I wish I knew what had happened as much as you do. This just seems so odd. But then again, nothing seems to be going as it should."

Gronnus sighed again. "Berin ... leave ..."

Berin paused, then rolled his eyes and left, not bothering with protocol.

Gronnus rubbed his temples. He was back at square one. He had information that, had he acquired it sooner, he could have used against Roquan. He had regretted his association with the Emperor. He now regretted his association with Freya even more.

Gronnus paused to gather his thoughts. He had only one chance now. He had to swing the sympathies of at least two Overlords to his side.

A decision of this magnitude would require a two-thirds vote by the Conclave. There were fifteen Overlords, which meant a vote of ten was needed. Roquan now had eight. There was Roquan, Rennis, Doran, Freya, and the four that Gronnus had intended to secure for himself and now would fall to Roquan. He was not holding out any hope for the one Berin just "concluded." All Roquan needed was two more, and the vote would go in his favor.

Gronnus ran a hand through his hair. He did not want to admit it, but here Doran had him beat. Gronnus may have the deal-making skills, but not the charisma needed to sway people with words alone. Nevertheless, he had to try. He felt like he had a lot more at stake than just the Conclave.

Sirinna was very curious as to what her Overlord wanted of her. Roquan had her secure Amanda in her bedchamber and then step outside with him so that they could speak without Amanda overhearing.

"Yes, master? What can I do for you?" Sirinna asked.

Roquan paused a long moment. "Sirinna, there is something you must know. It is about you and Amanda."

Sirinna simply looked at Roquan expectantly, showing no other reaction other than her normal eagerness to hear her master's bidding.

Roquan hesitated a few moments longer before speaking again. "I know of your feelings for Amanda."

For a brief moment, fear flickered across Sirinna's eyes, and the Overlord had his answer as to whether his assessment had been correct. "Master, I care for Amanda as I would for any other ..."

Roquan held up a hand. "Now is not the time for this. I wish honesty from you only. By rights, I could punish you for withholding this from me. I shall not do this. You are free to admit to me the truth. There will be no retribution, now or ever."

Sirinna did not say anything for a long moment. Her eyes shimmered as she looked at Roquan. When she finally spoke, it was in a voice heavy with despair, her eyes dropping, "I'm sorry, master."

Roquan reached over and gently lifted Sirinna's chin. "You have no need to apologize."

Sirinna gave him an odd look.

"This is something that I had started to see a long time before this point. It is I who should have noted it then, and questioned you on it. I did not. There is ... fault on both sides."

Sirinna thought it very unusual for Roquan to admit something like this, even after everything else that had happened. "Master, what will you do now?"

Roquan looked at her. "Do?"

"Are ... are you going to give Amanda to another Trainer?"

"We have no other Trainer at the moment, Sirinna, even if that were my intent."

Sirinna nodded and appeared to look relieved.

"But, Sirinna ... have you never given thought to the day that Amanda would leave the Manor when she is first sent to a contracted client? Did you not realize you two would be separated then?"

Sirinna took a deep breath. She tried to keep the pain out of her voice when she spoke again, but it was nearly impossible. "Yes, master," she said softly. "We both realized this. But ... it would always be temporary, master. We would be together again at some point, even if only briefly."

"Unless I had decided to sell her."

Sirinna's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened, but she said nothing.

Roquan's eyes hardened. "You assumed too much, Sirinna."

Sirinna swallowed. Her heart was pounding. "Master ... did you ... d-did you sell ..."

She could not even herself to say it, as her throat tried to close up, her eyes glistening.

Roquan paused. What was he to tell her? He did not want to see Amanda go with Freya. He wanted to get her back. He wanted to make it temporary. But he could offer no guarantees. Of primary importance to him was the Conclave. He had to keep that in sight. He could not let himself be swayed by sentimentality.

Yet as he looked at Sirinna -- always his favorite from the moment she arrived in the Manor -- he could not see himself offering her no hope.

"I have made a transaction ..."

Sirinna blinked and said nothing, but a single tear rolled down her cheek.

Hellfire, Roquan thought defeatedly. He turned to her and lifted a hand, laying it softly against her cheek. "Sirinna ... I will try to make this temporary. I needed to gain the upper hand in the Conclave. You cannot imagine how important this is to me."

Sirinna took a deep breath, though she sobbed once in the middle of it. Suddenly, her eyes blazed anger, the first time she felt such a thing in many years. "Wh-why ... why did you ...! Y-you can't ...!"

She stopped and gave Roquan a stricken look as she shook with the effort to contain her emotions. "S-sorry, master ... I ..."

Roquan viewed this with mixed feelings. On the one hand, he was very proud of her for managing to contain her near outburst of anger and grief towards her Overlord. On the other hand, he would not have faulted her in the least if she had lost control.

"I m-mean ... y-yes, master," Sirinna finally said in a shaky voice, but it was obvious from the conviction she was trying to muster that assuming the role of the good slave, once done with ease, was now a ponderous burden. "Of c-course. I'll do as you say. I'll always do as you say."

"Yes, I know. But that cannot change how you feel, I am afraid."

Sirinna leaned into his hand and shook her head slightly. She closed her eyes tightly and willed herself not to cry. She barely managed it. "If I may ask, master ... who is she being given to?"

"Overlord Freya D'yros."

Sirinna shuddered and uttered a small gasp.

"Which is why you can agree that this should be a temporary arrangement."

Sirinna paused. It took her a moment to understand exactly what Roquan had done. Indirectly, he had just put down another Overlord in her presence. It shocked her into realizing that things really had escalated to proportions that she did not understand. Things were happening that made little sense.

For the first time since she became a slave, she was actually starting to worry about events going on beyond the confines of the Manor.

"But ... you cannot guarantee that, master, can you?"

Roquan shook his head. "No, I cannot."

Sirinna swallowed again and nodded. She took another deep breath to try to steady herself.

"Do not tell her," Roquan said. "But after the evening meal, bring her to my quarters."

"Master, she ... she will know something is wrong ..."

Roquan sighed. "Yes, I know. Perhaps I have committed yet another error in telling you."

Sirinna did not answer. No, it was not an error. Now she knew what she must do. There would be no training for Amanda the rest of that afternoon. There would only be the two of them, and nothing else. If they were to be separated, they would have one last chance to express their love.

"Do your best not to tell her," said Roquan. "That is all I ask."

"Yes, master."

"Now ... go attend to Amanda."

Sirinna nodded quickly. "Yes, master," she said again as she turned away.

Roquan watched Sirinna disappear back into her quarters. He uttered a heavy, slow sigh.

He wondered now what had become of him. He had engaged in behavior over the past few moons that no Overlord in his right mind should. Had this been a year before, and someone had told him that another Overlord had done such things, he would have said that this Overlord should be removed.

No. It had started more than a year ago. It started with Sirinna. He had let his own feelings for her get in the way of his better judgment. He had been wrong in making her his favorite. Such things always ended up bad in the end.

Roquan silently turned away from Sirinna's quarters and headed back to his own. He had a great deal of thinking to do.

"Two more votes, Rennis!" Doran boomed, clapping his hand against the other Overlord's shoulder, nearly bowling him over. "Two more and the Conclave vote is sewn up tight!"

Rennis tried to look enthusiastic and failed. He covered it by pretending to be interested in the merchants' wares as they both walked through the bazaar. "You're assuming Roquan will acquire the fourth Overlord that Berin visited?"

Naturally, Rennis knew that Roquan probably would. But he had promised his friend that he would not reveal the dirty little secret, and he intended to stick to that. He still hated Roquan for doing it, and this may be the very last secret that was shared between them.

"After seeing him acquire Freya's vote with nothing more than a Trainee who was practically collared only yesterday? Hah! He has my utmost confidence after that!"

Rennis suddenly turned around, indignation rising in him. He caused Doran to stop short in surprise. "And you don't care about what has been said about Freya's treatment of her slaves?"

Doran gaped at him. "What??" He quickly glanced around and leaned forward, saying in a lower, hissing voice, "We do not make such ... accusations ... out in public, Rennis!"

Rennis took a deep breath and let it go. He silently cursed Roquan. The whole thing with him had set Rennis on edge. "Still, Doran, you know how Roquan feels about his slaves."

"Yes, which is why this is such an enormous breakthrough for him. He finally has his eyes set on the big picture! He ..."

"He wants to back out of it anyway he can."

Rennis was not sure what made him say it. This was breaking a promise he had made. But the more he thought about Amanda, the more he did not want to see her suffer under Freya's discipline.

"What did you just say?" Doran said slowly, staring.

"I said he wants to back out of it somehow. He does not want Amanda being abused."

"Shhhh!!" Doran said, waving his arms. "Don't talk like that when ..."

"Oh, come off it, Doran, I'm not saying anything that you or anyone else didn't already know about her!"

Doran cast a stony look at him. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you've been hanging out with Roquan too long. Some of his influence is rubbing off on you."

Rennis considered this for a moment. "Well, if you're talking about caring what happens to one's slaves, then yes, I am very happy that he has influenced me in that regard."

Doran huffed. "Do not make me out to be an ogre, Rennis. I do indeed care. I do not want to see the likes of Amanda ... well, suffer ..." He said the word in a much lower tone of voice. "But does he want to risk the Conclave vote over one slave?"

"I doubt he will do that." He won't be that stupid, Rennis added ruefully in his own mind. "But he will certainly find a way to acquire her back or have Freya change her mind."

"Well, if Roquan can do that, then install him as the next Emperor after Z'haas, for he will have more wisdom than any man on Narlass! Get Freya to change her mind? Hah! You have a better chance of freezing water in blazing hellfire!"

"I was hoping that you might help him, Doran."

Doran frowned. "I am not going to do something so stupid! The idea is preposterous! The deal is done, and cannot be undone on a whim. If anything, I will make sure the deal sticks!"

Rennis sighed. At least he managed to ease his own conscience somewhat by mentioning it.

"You know, I do believe this Conclave may go down as the shortest one on record," Doran mused.

"I do admit, the sooner this is over, the better."

Doran paused as he examined something that caught his eye on one of the merchant tables. "I have not seen you do any dealing for yourself, Rennis."

Rennis raised an eyebrow. "Me?"

"Yes, you. All Overlords avail themselves of this opportunity, regardless of whether it is for the purpose of the Conclave or not. I would have done some for myself if I had not had to hand-hold Roquan. Now maybe I'll take the last day or two to indulge myself."

Rennis no longer saw the point to it. Seeing how the other Overlords had behaved at this Conclave -- barely even acknowledging the issue at hand -- had soured him on deal-making, perhaps for good.

This made it harder to be angry with Roquan. The man did have the right idea, even if his methods were questionable. The Emperor cannot be allowed to hold this much sway. It was unnatural. It would be a detriment to Oceanus in the long run, yet the other Overlords were blind to it.

"Mark my words, Rennis," Doran said as he handed a merchant some platinum for a small trinket. "This Conclave will set things right. We'll get things back to normal very quickly after this."

Rennis was no longer sure that anything could ever be normal again. Not in his lifetime.

Sirinna stopped just after closing the door behind her. She swallowed hard and wiped away a few more tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. She took a few deep breaths, and it helped compose her a little, but there was still a tightness in her chest.

Sirinna knew she had to face a day like this, a day where Amanda would be separated from her. But she had not expected it so soon! And Roquan would not make any guarantees that this would be temporary ...

She took one more deep breath as her emotions threatened to run away from her again. She could not let herself concentrate on losing Amanda. She had to focus on her love instead. That was the only thing that was going to get her through this, and the only thing that would allow her to do what she wanted to do. It was what she had to do. This may be their last chance.

Sirinna filled her mind with her thoughts about Amanda, with how she felt about the beautiful young girl she had taken from Earth in what now seemed far too short a time ago. Her heart still ached, but now something else did as well, and it was easier to cope, at least for the time being.

She walked across her bedchamber and entered Amanda's.

Amanda turned her head and looked at Sirinna quizzically. "Mistress?"

For a moment, Sirinna could not speak or move. She looked at Amanda and it was like the first time they had made love in that secluded area of the park. It had been Amanda's first time. The memory managed to push out the despair, and Sirinna smiled tenderly at Amanda.

Amanda slowly smiled in return, and it sparked a similar memory in her. Yet as Sirinna approached, it was all too easy for Amanda to see that there was something else behind it. "Mistress, is there something wrong?"

Sirinna reached up and lightly placed a finger on Amanda's lips. Surprised, Amanda quieted at once.

Sirinna reached up and unlocked the chain from the collar, carefully pulling it off the bed and letting it drop into a heap on the floor. She then looked into Amanda's eyes, and the two were still for a moment.

It was then that Amanda knew something was wrong. Yet before she could say a word, Sirinna cupped the girl's face in her hands and leaned forward, tilting her head slightly to one side.

Amanda closed her eyes slowly, receiving the kiss from Sirinna, drawing in her breath deeply and letting it go as it lingered. Sirinna's hands slid from Amanda's cheeks and around the collar. Amanda was so startled by the click of the lock opening that her eyes flew open and she looked at Sirinna in surprise. The next second, the collar was off and sitting on the floor.

"Mistress?" Amanda asked in a small voice, her eyes wide.

"No. Right now ... I'm not your mistress, Amanda. I'm Sirinna."

Amanda stared into eyes that were filled with desire as much as they were filled with love. When their lips met again, a shudder went through Amanda, and she sighed in anticipation. Slowly the kiss escalated. Amanda shuddered again, her whole body tingling. She leaned back into the pillows, feeling Sirinna's warm softness atop her.

A hand very gently cupped one of her breasts. Amanda moaned softly as her mouth opened, her tongue sliding over Sirinna's as their passion rose. Sirinna's touch brought the same memories flooding back to her of that first day, for it was a touch just like this on her young breast that had so excited her and made the outcome inevitable for the two of them.

Sirinna's fingers squeezed Amanda's orb, the nipple rising, becoming hard and taut as Sirinna touched it. Sirinna's lips slid from Amanda's mouth and trailed down her cheek and then her neck. Amanda panted, finding this as erotic as any touch to her nether regions would be.

"Oh gods ..." Amanda moaned as Sirinna kissed and nibbled at her neck, fingers playing on her now sensitive nipple, sending little waves of pleasure through her. "Oh Sirinna ..."

Sirinna drew herself down, letting her tongue trace a slow, sinuous path from Amanda's neck. Amanda shivered, uttering a low, soft moan, the touch sending ripples of delight through her. Sirinna's tongue slid down over the curve of Amanda's breast and lapped lightly at the nipple.

Amanda quivered under Sirinna's touch, her eyes sliding closed at the same time that her thighs parted. Sirinna caught the unmistakable odor of Amanda's arousal, but Sirinna was in no rush. There could be no rush, not now. Sirinna played her tongue in slow and sensuous swirls around Amanda's nipple. She lifted a hand to Amanda's other breast, squeezing it and playing with its nipple in her fingertips.

Amanda was too aroused to speak. She lay under Sirinna, trembling with aching desire, silently begging for a more intimate touch, yet still enjoying the buildup too much to want it to stop. Her pussy felt steamy and swollen with her increasing excitement. She uttered a whimper as her nipple was drawn into Sirinna's mouth, quickly turning into a hard pant as Sirinna squeezed her other nipple with her fingers at the same time.

By now, Sirinna knew she had teased Amanda enough. She lifted her head and gave Amanda a small smile. Amanda returned it, her eyes half-lidded, her chest rising and falling quickly with her shortened breath. Excitement dawned in her eyes.

Sirinna licked once more at the nipple before trailing kisses down Amanda's stomach. Amanda quivered in growing anticipation, her legs spreading further apart. Her excitement grew to a fever pitch when one of Sirinna's hands slid along the inside of her thigh, closer to her mound, stopping just short of touching it.

Amanda whimpered again as Sirinna lingered just a moment in a final kiss just above her slot, body shaking with desire and lust. When Sirinna's tongue finally slid over tender, hot, wet flesh, Amanda drew in her breath sharply and arched her back. She let it go as a long, loud moan as Sirinna tasted Amanda's moist folds.

And again, it was like the first time. Despite all of Amanda's training since then and her experience with both men and women, she came almost at once from the sheer excitement, crying out sweetly as her pussy throbbed. Pleasure rippled through her body, Sirinna licking her gently, then a little harder when her orgasm began to fade.

Amanda was nowhere near sated. She surrendered herself completely, lying still on the bed, willingly submissive to her lover. Amanda's eyes closed and her lips parted as Sirinna's fingers eased into her tight tunnel. She moaned again as they slid back and forth inside her, Sirinna's lips kissing her womanhood, then drawing it between her lover's lips.

"Sirinna ..." Amanda murmured huskily, her head lolling to one side. "Ohhh ..."

She lost herself to the sensual delight, feeling herself rise again. She was barely aware of what Sirinna specifically was doing from moment to moment. Amanda was so aroused and so wet that every movement of Sirinna's tongue was like liquid warmth over her intimate flesh. Sirinna's fingers inside her was the only sensation that stood out from the rest, and she whimpered in delight when two, and then three fingers were eased into her.

Amanda panted harder, the pleasure rising faster. Now she could feel Sirinna's tongue lashing at her, driving her higher. The pressure rose, the need for release growing ever more intense. Her back arched, her head tilting further back. "Ohhh ... oh, Sirinna! ... oh gods ... ohhh ... ohhhh!"

Amanda was cumming hard, her cunt squeezing tightly around Sirinna's fingers. Sirinna gently sucked Amanda's womanhood, making her pussy continue to pulse, her moans growing louder and more lustful. Her orgasm lasted a long time, but it was nothing like the continuous one that Freya had given her. This one was beautiful and sweet, each throb a moment of perfect pleasure.

When at last her climax faded, Sirinna slowly withdrew her fingers and lifted her head. Amanda lay limp, her chest rising and falling with her labored breath. She didn't move. She knew what would happen next. She waited and turned her head, and there Sirinna was above her. Their lips met again, Amanda's arms sliding around her lover. She tasted her own juices on Sirinna's lips and moaned into the kiss.

As their kiss lingered, Amanda's hands slipped down Sirinna's back. Once again, their kiss grew more passionate as Sirinna felt Amanda's hands sliding softly down her body. Sirinna moaned loudly and broke off the kiss, her body already trembling badly with need.

Amanda did things differently with Sirinna. In her training, Amanda learned she was not as good with the tease. Instead, her skills lay with endurance.

Still kissing, they slowly rolled so that Sirinna was under Amanda. Sirinna felt Amanda's dark hair brush her skin, sending another shiver of delight through her. Amanda broke off the kiss, sliding her body down, one of her hands tracing a slow path to Sirinna's mound.

Already panting lightly, Sirinna opened her legs, utter a slow, long sigh as Amanda's fingers slipped into her pussy. Amanda's tongue and lips found one of Sirinna's nipples, licking it furtively as Amanda's fingers moved in slow, gentle strokes against Sirinna's aroused flesh.

Amanda pressed her lips around the nipple, sucking gently. Her fingers played with Sirinna's womanhood, fingertips moving in swirls that made Sirinna tremble. Sirinna lay a hand against Amanda's head, touching and caressing the sleek, black hair.

She felt herself rise, slow and steady, the pleasure mounting moment by moment. Despite how many times she had sex and how many skilled partners she had, she never felt like this with any of them. With Amanda, it was so different. Even where Amanda was nowhere near as skilled at pleasuring it was different.

Sirinna moaned as Amanda grew more aggressive. She suckled at Sirinna's nipple harder, nibbling at it with her teeth until Sirinna shuddered with pleasure. Her fingers sank more firmly into Sirinna's pussy, making it ache for release.

Sirinna let the pleasure build on its own. She made no move to clench her muscles and extend her own enjoyment. It simply did not seem right. And it was hardly needed. Amanda could do it on her own. She knew how to please Sirinna from the beginning, even when she was so inexperienced those first few days.

Amanda's mouth slid from Sirinna's breast. Her fingers slowed but never stopped. Instead, as she moved downward, her fingers slid deeply into Sirinna's cunt, spearing her and making her moan.

When Amanda's tongue touched Sirinna's pussy, it was all Sirinna could do not to cry out with the intensity of her pleasure. At once she felt herself building towards release. He pussy rose and strained, and rose again. In the back of her mind, thoughts of her love for Amanda were mixed with the coming pain of loss, and it drove her passions beyond her ability of restraint.

"Oh gods ... oh gods! ... Amanda ... oh Amanda ... ohhh ... oh please ... oh yes ... yes! ... oh gods! ... yes! ... yes! ... ahhhhh!!"

Sirinna came, her head thrown back, her hips trying to buck wildly, the throbbing more intense than she ever felt. She was gasping, her body shuddering, and by the time her orgasm finally ended, she was out of breath.

Amanda drew up and smiled at her. Sirinna reached up and pulled her into a fierce embrace, one that was surprising to Amanda but very welcome.

"Oh, gods, Amanda, I love you," Sirinna said softly into Amanda's ear.

But now, as she came down from the natural high of her orgasm and her desires had been sated, she no longer had enough to hold back the tide. Her body shuddered again, and tears rolled down the sides of her face. She began to sob quietly.

Amanda gently pulled herself from the embrace and looked at her in alarm. "Sirinna, what ... what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

Sirinna paused a moment and realized she had just failed Roquan yet again. She had failed him the first time for falling in love with this girl in the first place, and again now.

"What is it?" Amanda demanded softly, her own eyes shimmering.

In a halting voice, Sirinna told her.

They clutched at each other again, this time the both of them softly crying, their tears of despair dripping into the furs.

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