Amanda trembled where she stood, the small metal weight that dangled between her legs swinging back and forth a bit from its slim chain. A finger occasionally flicked at it, making the weight dance and tug at the smooth metal ball tucked into her tunnel. Her cheeks flushed with both the effort of her task and a small measure of embarrassment.

"You're doing very well, Amanda," came Sirinna's voice from behind her. It was edged with a bit of excitement. "Keep at it as long as you can."

The words barely registered. Amanda was becoming increasingly distracted. After having done this task for a few days now, it was becoming easier. At least until Sirinna introduced a new challenge. Before, she could keep the little ball in her pussy by just lightly tightening her muscles; now it was taking more effort.

Two other slaves were assisting in the effort that morning as they stood in the Circle, the roughly circular grass-covered clearing surrounded by trees in the center of the Manor grounds, where most training took place. A slave stood on either side of Amanda, each with her mouth at one of Amanda's breasts. Each was slowly and skillfully teasing one of Amanda's nipples with her tongue.

"A little more, please," Sirinna said to them. Now each slave sucked the nipple completely into her mouth .

"Uhhnn ..." Amanda moaned, shivering with pleasure as her pussy grew more slick from arousal, making it even harder to keep the metal ball inside her. She could feel it slip a little before she clenched her muscles again to stop it. One of the girls reached between her legs and flicked the chain again. The weight tugged once more on the ball. She kept it inside her, but now the effort was lightly stimulating her and making it even more difficult to stay focused.

Amanda felt her muscles beginning to ache. Sirinna had told her that was a sign she should stop soon, but she wanted to push herself a little further. She clenched and unclenched her hands behind her back. Sirinna normally removed the leather cuffs from her wrists after bringing her to the Circle for training, but this time she had left them on. "Sometimes it's hard to know what to do with your hands and you might accidentally interfere with the task," Sirinna had told her.

She strained and pulled at the cuffs behind her back as it grew harder to retain the ball.

There was another reason she wanted to push herself. That morning she had more of an audience than usual. Most days it was simply the other slaves that came out to see or assist with training. There were not a lot of them around anymore, however. Business had picked up considerably for Roquan after the Conclave, and he had few slaves left that were without clients. Sometimes Roquan watched, but she had grown so used to it that she barely gave it a second thought anymore.

This time she had someone watching that she felt a need to impress, even though she would be loathe to admit it.

Just at the edge of the Circle, leaning against one side of the decorative stone arch stood a lanky young man with black hair drawn tightly into a short ponytail behind his head. His eyes were dark and held a faintly exotic look to them, though they also displayed a combination of amusement and wonder as they gazed at Amanda. His lips were curled into a small but pleasant smile, and he cupped his chin thoughtfully as he watched.

Jollis' name meant "wanderer" in his native tongue, but it hardly applied at the moment. Having settled down now in his modest quarters just outside the Manor, he was going to be around for awhile. Roquan needed a Tradesman, and he needed to be on hand to see that things went according to his true Master's plan.

He was delighted that this meant he could enjoy Amanda's company more often.

Amanda began panting in earnest now. Her sex was so wet and slippery that she was having to tense her muscles further. Yet they began to ache worse, and she realized she was going to have to ease up soon if she did not want to hurt herself.

Sirinna stepped forward and touched the shoulder of one of the assisting slaves. Without looking up from Amanda's breast, the slave reached between Amanda's thighs again and carefully slipped one fingertip over Amanda's swollen womanhood and began to caress it lightly.

"Uhhh!!" Amanda cried. It was too much for her. As aroused as she was, she responded to the gentle touch immediately, her hips shuddering. Her eyes closed and she lost focus. There was a soft thud as the ball slipped from Amanda's grasp and both it and the weight struck the ground between her splayed feet.

"Very good, Amanda!" Sirinna said happily. "I'm very proud of you. You lasted longer than most would at this stage. I think that deserves a reward."

On her cue, the slave that had touched Amanda's nub now slid her hand completely over Amanda's sex, fingers squishing against wet folds. At the same time, both slaves suckled harder on her nipples, nibbling gently on them. Amanda moaned loudly and shuddered as she soared quickly, unable to hold back. She cried out in orgasm, her pussy throbbing against the slave's fingers.

The slave flicked her finger at Amanda's womanhood, making Amanda's hips jerk as her climax continued for a little longer. By the time it had faded, Amanda was breathing hard and feeling a little weak. She was thankful now that the summer was passing into autumn. While the fact that the Manor was located in what would be the Bahamas back on Earth so there was not much seasonal variation, it at least eased the intense summer heat a bit.

Nevertheless, when the two slaves parted from Amanda, both smiling encouragement to her before they turned away, she was hot and sweating. Sirinna immediately freed Amanda's hands and gave her a goblet of cold water to drink.

Sirinna laid a hand on her shoulder. "You did very well. You're picking this up quickly. But don't strain yourself. I'll bet those muscles are a little sore now."

Amanda's pussy did ache, but it was hard to tell if it were just from the orgasm or from muscle fatigue. She nodded anyway, her eyes flicking towards the archway to where Jollis stood.

Her gaze found his. Jollis gave a nod and his smile widened. Amanda smiled back as well, feeling an additional measure of satisfaction now. The only thing that spoiled it was a lingering feeling of guilt in the back of her mind that she wished to seek such approval from him in the first place.

"That's all we can do with you for now, Amanda,," Sirinna said. Amanda immediately tore her gaze from Jollis and turned her full attention to her Trainer. "No need to push yourself quite as hard as that, though I commend you for wanting to do well."

Amanda nodded. "Thank you, Mistress."

Sirinna smiled and played with Amanda's hair. She had been growing a little bolder with her displays of affection before the others. Not that the other slaves would do anything about it, but the fact of the matter was that a Trainer was not supposed to get overly emotionally involved with the Trainees. Yet rumors were already circulating among the other slaves that Amanda and Sirinna were lovers. It amused them more than it alarmed them.

Though occasionally one or two of them would wonder what the Overlord thought about it.

Sirinna gestured to another slave as she reached down and picked up the ball and weight. She handed it to the slave. "See that these are properly cleaned, please?" The slave accepted the object, nodded, and headed off.

"So what's next, then, Mistress?" Amanda asked after draining about half the goblet.

"We'll go back to sexual techniques for a bit. I want to start teaching you how to use your fingers more effectively in a woman's pussy."

Amanda could not help but smile at this.

Sirinna guessed what Amanda was thinking and smiled as well. "Yes, I know ... and you do indeed do quite well with me. But I need to show you how to tailor your techniques to others, since everyone is a little different."

"And this afternoon?"

"This afternoon will be a short session. You're due for your Kaylaxxa treatment."

Amanda inwardly sighed at this. She still looked towards these treatments with some small measure of trepidation. Though the few she had had after that first one -- where the slave that had been the Emperor's spy had used a concentrated dose on her and rendered her practically insensible -- had gone without much incident, she still did not look forward to them. She felt especially vulnerable while it was taking place.

Sirinna sensed Amanda's consternation and squeezed her shoulder. "It will be all right. You came through the last one without any real difficulties."

"Well, except that I couldn't close my legs for awhile without cumming again," Amanda remarked, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

"That's a normal after-effect of it. It hasn't been as bad as when Yanna did it to you, has it?"

Amanda shook her head. "No, Mistress."

"And it is necessary ..."

"I know, Mistress," Amanda said quickly, some impatience creeping into her voice. She was well aware that the Kaylaxxa salve was mainly for hygienic purposes. It killed pathogens in the genital area and protected her from infection for up to a complete moon cycle. The side effect -- that it made the vulva so sensitized that the least pressure would trigger an orgasm until the salve was completely absorbed -- was largely intended to make the experience pleasant and thus one that the slave anticipated.

This didn't work for Amanda. But then again, Amanda was different in many ways.

Sirinna paused a moment. Amanda looked to her with resignation as if expecting to be punished now for her impatience.

"Amanda, I may have a pleasant surprise for you," Sirinna said instead.

Amanda blinked in surprise. "You may?"

"I don't know for sure ... but Master Roquan informed me last night that a caravan was arriving today around midday. Master Vanlo's new assistant is arriving with it ..."

Amanda looked puzzled. "New assistant? I didn't know he was going to ..."

"Don't interrupt," Sirinna said in gentle admonishment.

"I'm sorry, Mistress."

"As I was saying, Master Vanlo has a new assistant arriving today. The caravan is also bringing other deliveries to the Manor and one of them may be the scrolls that Master Roquan promised you."

Amanda had to resist the urge to say "Finally!" Instead, she slowly smiled and nodded. "Yes, that is good news, Mistress. Thank you for telling me. I really hope Master Roquan gets them to me as quickly as possible."

Sirinna gave Amanda a knowing look. "So do I, considering how much you've been looking forward to them."

"And annoying you in the interim. I really am sorry about that, Mistress, I ..."

"Shh. It's okay. I understand. Now, let's see about teaching you some of those new techniques ..."

Jollis watched until the two of them turned away from his position and headed to the far side of the Circle. He smiled one last time at them before turning and heading away.

The more he learned of Amanda, and the more he watched her mature not as a slave but as a person, the more fascinated he became with her. In so many ways, Amanda carried herself in a manner that was beyond her years. Yet there were many ways in which she was still a child.

Jollis shook his head as his thoughts began to unsettle him. Fourteen. Or possibly fifteen by now. So young. So very young to have all this thrust upon her. And she will still be so very young when she will have to play her next part.

Jollis clasped his hands behind his back and strolled casually down the winding path. He passed other slaves as he walked, each one as naked and perfect as the last. Yet he seemed to pay no attention to them, as if they did not exist for him.

When he came to the junction with the west-side path and turned his gaze northward, the direction that would eventually take him to the Overlord, he paused and frowned slightly.

Most distasteful, he thought. I should not be having the thoughts that I am. The plan has been made. It is simply up to me to execute it. It was never for me to presume otherwise, to presume more knowledge than my elders back home.

Yet nothing, he felt, had prepared him for someone like Amanda.

He turned up the west-side path and hastened his pace. He should not let his personal feelings affect his actions. He was free to treasure Amanda for what she was, a clever and compassionate young girl; he was free to take his pleasure with her, so long as he did not impose on her too much or make her feel uncomfortable with him. But beyond that, he must keep his thoughts focused on his mission. Amanda was to play too great a role in it for him to take too many liberties, either with her or with his own feelings.

He forced himself to return his thoughts to his present task.

I have timed this well, Jollis thought. I will arrive in the middle. It will make the Overlord much less apt to ask me to leave. Besides, the Overlord is used to having me around. He will take my presence for granted, much like he does the presence of his slaves.

He hoped to hear enough of what was being said that he could conceivably offer his assistance. Then he will have taken the first step. During the Conclave, it had been the Emperor's hand that had ruled the day, hovering over all and waiting to strike in the form of the assassin sent against Roquan. Now that hand had been pushed away, and it was time for a new hand to guide events where they must go.

Jollis would be the manifestation of that hand.

"You see? We have nothing."

The other Overlord seemed not to hear Roquan's declaration. He was scrutinizing a parchment in one hand while his other scratched as his chin, his brow deeply furrowed. He finally lifted the hand at his chin to his gray hair and motioned as if smoothing it back. He uttered a derisive snort as he dropped the parchment to the desk.

"Nothing has survived Z'haas' infernal purges," Roquan said, his steel blue-gray eyes fixed coolly on the other Overlord. His arms were folded across his chest. "Any leverage that the Overlords have had in the Imperium is gone."

"Hrm. That would seem impossible on the face of it," mused Overlord Doran D'jorus as he rubbed at his face. "One would think that he could not possibly be so thorough."

"Do not deceive yourself, Doran. Z'haas has been planning this for some time. Perhaps as soon as he had heard that the Conclave had convened."

"Yes, which is information he had no business knowing!" Doran thundered. "Damn Gronnus' traitorous hide! Perhaps we should have deposed him when we had the chance."

"That would have bought us nothing. The damage was already done by that point."

Doran paused, then uttered a long sigh. "So what does that leave us with, Roquan? What are our options?"

"You have not been listening to me. I said, we have nothing." He gestured in annoyance at the desk and its stacks of parchments and scrolls. "You have seen it for yourself. We are locked out of the Imperium."

Doran folded his arms and looked away for a moment, as if lost in thought.

Roquan turned and strolled across the room. He filled a goblet with wine and swirled it around as he turned back towards Doran. "You cannot imagine how frustrating this is, Doran. To spend all that effort at the Conclave, to risk my very life for it, and then to be able to do nothing with the support I have received ..."

Doran raised a hand to stop the torrent of words. Roquan appeared annoyed to be silenced in such a way, but he acquiesced and quieted, taking a long sip of his wine. "There is always the more direct option," Doran said thoughtfully.

Roquan narrowed his eyes. "You do not mean a military option? Such a thing has not been done in over two centuries. Not since the founding of the nation."

"Sometimes brute force is the only way to solve a problem."

"Barbaric."

"Nevertheless, Roquan, necessity sometimes ..."

"I am not interested in sacrificing lives, Doran. Sirinna almost died. Amanda almost died. Others of my slaves could have died had the spy Yanna made a mistake with the dosage of Jonalla she fed to them to sew acts of disobedience. Now you tell me I should find a way to order people to their deaths."

"Not you, Roquan," Doran said, stepping away from the table, a wry smile playing at his lips. "That is what we have the Nobility for."

Roquan stared at Doran for a long moment. Finally he shook his head once and turned away. "Out of the question."

"Is this where your friend Rennis would tell you to stop thinking about your own ego?" Doran said a bit loudly.

Roquan whirled around, eyes blazing. "Do you think this is what it is about? Do you seriously think I am looking for glory for myself? If I wished that, I would have forwarded my own name as a contender for the Imperial Throne!"

"That is not what I meant, and you know it! Stop being so defensive all the time. What I meant was that you refuse to admit that we need help."

Roquan raised an eyebrow. "We?"

"Yes, we. The Overlords."

"And you seriously want us to throw our lot in with the Nobility? Do you have any idea what kind of strings will be attached to that? Overlord politics is nothing compared to the Nobility of Oceanus."

"And here I thought nothing was more important than deposing the Emperor!" said Doran, his tone one of exasperation. "Hellfire, Roquan! If this is still important to you ..."

"It should be important ..."

" ... to all of us, yes yes yes, I know. You said that often enough at the Conclave. It's time that you show it."

Roquan paused and took a deep breath. In her own way, even without coming out and saying it, Sirinna had been right. The Overlord had indeed been very stressed lately. He knew he had to do a better job of remaining calm. Appearing excitable and irascible was not conducive to a good atmosphere at the Manor. Whatever stress the Overlord was feeling eventually made its way to the slaves.

"All right, Doran," Roquan said in a calmer voice. "I will not dismiss the idea of the Nobility. But I want another option first."

Doran looked about to protest again, but simply let go with a windy sigh. "You are quite persistent, Roquan."

"Thank you."

"I did not necessarily mean that as a compliment."

"I will take it as one just the same." Roquan paused and finally said in a lower voice, "So you do have another option."

Doran frowned. "Maybe. A very big maybe, Roquan, and not something I really wish to rely upon."

"Something is better than nothing, Doran."

"Not if it is almost guaranteed to return you to nothing afterward," Doran pointed out gruffly. "See here, I do not even know if I can reach him discreetly enough to ..."

Doran trailed off when he heard a gentle knock at the door. Roquan quickly put down his goblet. "Enter."

The door opened and Jollis strode into the room. He offered Roquan a smile and a polite bow of his head. "Good day to you, your Lordship." He paused and turned his head towards the other Overlord. "And good day to you as well. I hope I did not interrupt."

"It's fine, Jollis," Roquan said. "Is there something you require of me?"

"Your leave to greet the caravan when it arrives later this morning, is all," Jollis replied smoothly. "I understand you will be receiving your new assistant Healer and other supplies."

"It is about time," Roquan said with an acid sting to his voice, though it was not directed at Jollis. "You have heard this through your contacts, no doubt."

"Indeed, your Lordship. I have managed to attain a very good network of ... well, informants is perhaps not the most apt word but the closest I can think of at the moment."

"Very good, Jollis. Thank you."

Jollis bowed his head again and turned as if to leave, taking note of the other Overlord's eyes upon him. Just before he was about to step towards the door, he paused and turned around. "Ah, but there was something else, your Lordship. Have you a list of items that you wish the merchants to acquire for you for their next run? Or any goods they may happen to have with them you wish me to procure?"

Roquan looked thoughtful. "It will take me a moment to come up with a list of the needed items. Do you wish to wait?"

"Only if I am not intruding, your Lordship."

"Not at all." Roquan crossed over to the table. He glanced at Doran's thoughtful face as he pulled out the chair from the desk and sat down. "Have you an insight, Doran?"

His eyes flicked from Roquan to Jollis and back again.

"You may speak freely in front of Jollis," Roquan said before turning his attention to his desk. He set a blank parchment before him and drew the quill pen and bottle of ink towards him. "He has been my Tradesman and adviser since the Conclave."

"Hrm, yes, I thought I recognized the fellow. Good to see you again," Doran said.

Jollis smiled and offered another small bow of his head. "But it is I who is honored to be remembered, your Lordship."

"If you will recall, it was Jollis that procured many of the items that helped me win over others at the Conclave. And he still continues to obtain things for me that appear to elude the normal merchant clans. Now, tell me about this option of yours, Doran," Roquan said as his quill scratched across the parchment.

"It is a long shot to say the least. It is not something I should even be considering, and I am ashamed just for thinking about it!"

"Doran, get to the point."

Doran scowled but continued nevertheless. "The Yassa Clan owes a rather sizable debt to the Jorus Clan. Because of that, anyone from my Clan can call upon theirs to fulfill a duty as partial payment of the debt."

Roquan looked up. "And you would call upon this in order to help plot a coup?"

"I would not even think about it, Roquan, if the fellow I had in mind already had little love for Z'haas! It was my understanding that he already had a number of like-minded cohorts at the Imperial Palace."

"And just how high up is he?"

Doran sighed and scrubbed at his face again. "Not very. Not anymore. I have heard that while he survived the purges with his life, it was not with his title. He has been demoted. He is rather upset about it from what I have heard."

Roquan finished writing up a list of items and stood, holding the parchment to allow the air to dry the ink a bit more. "That could work to our advantage. He is already disaffected. He will be more likely to go along with us."

"Have you been listening, Roquan? The man is a nobody now! And so are his friends!"

"All the less reason for Z'haas to suspect."

Doran threw up his hands theatrically and turned away from his fellow Overlord.

"Please, Doran, spare me the drama," Roquan said with clear disdain in his voice. He stepped away from the desk and handed Jollis the parchment. "I have listed the items in order of priority, highest first."

"Ah, thank you, your Lordship," said Jollis. "I will tend to the matter of the merchants so you are not disturbed."

"It is all for naught, anyway!" Doran boomed. "We have no way to contact the man. Not with how Z'haas has so tightly locked down the Palace and the Imperial City that surrounds it!"

Jollis caught the glance in his direction as he turned to leave. He knew he could have simply offered his services to assist and it would have been accepted. It was wise to wait just the few moments longer, and then the transaction would take on a different feel, one more to his liking.

Offer your services, and it will be a mere business deal, his Master once said, but offer him nothing and let him ask of you, then it becomes a debt.

"One moment, Jollis."

Jollis swiftly turned and faced Roquan again. "Yes, your Lordship?"

"You stated that you have a sizable network of contacts. Does that stretch as far as the Imperial Palace?"

"Ah, sadly, it does not."

"See?" Doran said, gesturing towards Jollis. "I told you, Roquan, it is not worth even considering ..."

"But that does not mean that I cannot get a contact within its walls if I wish."

Doran fell silent, but only for a moment. "And by what magic do you intend to accomplish such a thing?"

Jollis shook his head. "No magic, your Lordship. No matter what security the esteemed Emperor has sought to put in place, he cannot lock out merchants."

"If he were to cut himself off completely, he could do well for a time. Make no mistake of that, Jollis!"

"Ah, but you speak of such basic needs as food and shelter, Overlord. Are not the men and women of the Imperial Court used to a constant supply of luxuries? Would they be so fond of supporting their Emperor were such things to be abruptly cut off?"

Doran glowered for a moment, but eventually gave a curt nod. "Yes, I admit, you do have a point. But surely he is checking the merchants that come and go, and only allowing those that he trusts to enter the city!"

"Certainly. Then it will behoove me to use one that is trusted," Jollis said with a knowing smile.

Roquan stepped forward. "Doran, this man has come through on every promise, no matter how grand that promise seemed. If he says he can have someone penetrate the Imperial Palace and deliver a message securely to this person, then I am willing to trust him."

Doran looked askance at the both of them and let go with another long sigh. "Do I really have a choice in this?"

"Not if you want me to consider the Nobility option, Doran."

"This is madness."

"It is never madness to try to take the simplest solution," Roquan explained with forced patience. "It is simpler to usurp the throne from within than it is to wrest control from without by force-of-arms."

"Now, Roquan, I did not say that we would advocate a military campaign."

"You said yourself that brute force should be considered as a solution."

"That is why I wish the counsel of the Nobility! Hellfire, Roquan, for once look beyond your limited horizons!"

Roquan bristled but said nothing to Doran. He instead turned away from the Overlord and back towards Jollis. "You have your task, Jollis. Find me someone that can get into the Palace, and Doran will prepare a message to be sent to his contact."

Jollis bowed. "At once, your Lordship." He turned and left Roquan's quarters.

When Roquan turned to face the room once again, he saw that Doran had helped himself to some of Roquan's wine. He was just raising it to his lips when he saw Roquan watching him. He lowered it and spoke, "This is an incredible long shot, just so you know."

"And so was convincing the Conclave to come to my side," Roquan said smoothly.

This time Doran took a long drink from the goblet before replying. "This is hardly the same thing! At least there your chances were more than infinitesimal."

"I will have to trust that fate will be kind to me again."

Doran was silent for a long moment. When he spoke again, it was a decidedly lower and more somber tone of voice. "This Tradesman of yours, Roquan. I am not so sure of him."

"He can be trusted, I have stated that."

"That is not what I mean. He is not of the merchant clans. I would fear for his safety if I were you before sending him on what may be a fool's errand." He began to raise the goblet to his lips again.

"What are you talking about, Doran?" said Roquan, his face betraying true confusion.

Doran frowned and slowly lowered his goblet. "So you have not heard? That several merchants have turned up missing in the most recent quarter moon?"

Roquan's eyes narrowed. "No, I have not heard this. Is Z'haas behind it?"

"He would seem the most likely suspect at the moment. He has been sending the Imperial Guard to harass the trade caravans, I know that. Even the most basic of supplies are taking forever and a day to cross Oceanus!"

Roquan considered this for a moment. "What possible motive could the Emperor have?"

"I have no idea! And that is why you must consider the possibility that Z'haas is beyond the reach of more 'traditional' means of disposal. That is why you must consider forcing the issue if he will not yield any other way!"

"I do not want open conflict, Doran. A smooth transition of power from within. I will accept nothing less."

Doran uttered a long, slow sigh. "If you let Z'haas go long enough and let him raise his own army, that will be the only option. But I fear by then it will be too late."

Jollis' timing continued to be impeccable. He arrived at the gate that marked the entrance to the Manor just as the caravan was setting up a temporary camp. Having been a merchant himself, Jollis knew that this makeshift camp meant they would be gone by morning. Jollis wandered into the camp and found the leader of the caravan, a short, heavyset fellow who was short on words and seemed to have little time to spare.

"The Overlord is busy with matters of great import," Jollis told the man politely. "He regrets he cannot meet you personally. I am his Tradesman. You may do all your dealings with me."

This was met with a simple gruff acknowledgment. "We jus' gots some goods ta unload and nae much more'n that. This wasn't our normal stop, mind ye, but we gots a special order and one craftsman ta leave wi' ya."

"Ah, yes. That special order would be some scrolls from the Writers Guild?" Jollis asked hopefully, knowing exactly what they contained and who they were for.

"Aye. Gots ta wait til we've unpacked, but we gots it."

"Excellent. And the craftsman?"

"That would be me."

Jollis was not as surprised at the voice behind him as most men would be. He had already sensed someone come up from behind him from the sound of his footfalls on the ground. He had already tensed in case he needed to go into combat with a potential adversary. Instead, the tension was released as a single swift turn and a smile. Jollis bowed. "And to whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?"

The fair-haired young man gave Jollis a wry smirk, his arms folded across his broad chest. He fixed two clear, green eyes on the merchant and spoke in a clear, confident voice. "Lanno G'sallan. From the Healer Guild."

Jollis' smile widened. "I am Tradesman Jollis. No Clan affiliation, sadly." He tilted his head slightly to one side. "Would you consider it a grand insult if I said that you do not appear the part of a Healer?"

Lanno uttered a short laugh. "Many have insulted me far worse before I reached where I am today," he said, still holding a grin on his face. "I consider your remark nothing of the sort. Well met, Jollis. And I will head off your next question."

Jollis raised an eyebrow slightly, a look of amusement on his face. "Will you indeed?"

"Yes. I am indeed as young as I look. 28 years last moon. And I am Master level."

"Ah, but would the Guild be sending anything less, truly?"

"Oh, they might, were this simply an assistant's position."

Jollis did not let the moment of puzzlement he felt over this remark show on his face. Yes, as far as this fellow knew, Roquan had been looking for a replacement for Vanlo. It had been Vanlo himself that had requested it. That had been before Vanlo decided that he could still stay on provided he could share day-to-day responsibilities with another. It was clear that the Guild Hall had not been appraised of the change in plans.

Jollis thought it would be most interesting to see Lanno's reaction. However, he held off informing the man for the moment. He turned back and said to the caravan leader, "Please send those scrolls immediately to the Overlord when you unpack them." After the man gave another grunt of acknowledgment, Jollis turned back to Lanno. "If you wish, I can escort you to Healer Vanlo G'tort's office. I would imagine he would be the best person to fill you in on your duties."

Jollis retained his smile even as Lanno looked a bit mystified at the Tradesman's choice of words. "I believe there will be little to tell me," Lanno said as he fell into step beside Jollis. As they entered the Manor, his smile widened when his eyes beheld the first of Roquan's slaves. "My last assignment was with Lord K'rylon. One of my responsibilities was tending to the health of his two slaves."

"Ah, but I daresay you will find many more than simply two at the Manor here at any given moment," said Jollis in an amused but friendly voice.

Lanno waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, quite understood. But I am not worried. I am quite looking forward to this position, Jollis." He paused as they passed a group of three female slaves walking the other way, his eyes following them, his smile widening. He gave the girls a jaunty wave. "Quite looking forward ..."

The three slaves had already been watching him curiously, as he was something they did not see often at the Manor: someone new that was not another slave. One of them giggled softly and the others smiled, nodding or waving in return.

Jollis witnessed all this silently, until the girls had continued along their way, and Lanno's gaze returned frontwards. "Then you intend to take advantage of the ... fringe benefits?" the Tradesman suggested.

Lanno laughed. "And what man my age in a place such as this would not?" he declared in a booming, jocular voice, spreading his arms apart briefly. "Oh, yes, my friend, I am well aware that certain of the Overlord's staff are allowed their choice of a slave to warm his bed in the evenings."

"And other things, no doubt."

"Surely you partake of such amenities? You are as much a part of his staff as I am now."

Jollis paused to contemplate this for a moment. He had not considered himself doing as such. There was only one slave that interested him, and that was Amanda. During those times with her, he hardly thought of her as a slave. Surely he did not treat her as one.

But in the strict sense of it, he supposed that he did indeed take advantage of the benefit, for it was allowing him to see Amanda, even if she did not fulfill the traditional role of slave to him.

"Yes, I do," Jollis finally replied. "But at the same time, I consider it a privilege, so I do not overuse it."

Jollis almost used the word "abuse" instead of "overuse," and for a moment, Lanno looked at him as if the first choice was what he had actually heard. It took a few moments for Lanno to realize the truth, and he smiled again at the merchant.

"Considering what these lovely girls are trained to do, one would think that it would be quite difficult to overuse them in any way," said Lanno with a chuckle.

Jollis smiled politely at the attempted humor. Suddenly he felt a need to be protective of Amanda. He clamped down on that thought, and the feeling passed quickly.

Jollis came to a stop where a more narrow path branched from the main northern path and gestured towards a set of buildings in the distance, just barely visible through the trees of the Manor gardens. "You will find Master Vanlo's office on the right. I have other things to tend to today, or I would see you to the door. Good day to you."

He turned and walked away. Lanno raised an eyebrow in his wake before the young Healer smirked, shook his head, and turned down the path to the Healer's office.

Jollis was very disappointed with himself.

He had an important purpose. He had many critical tasks to perform. He had to be the guiding hand, not just of the events that were coming to pass, but for Amanda as well. That was most important above all else. Personal feelings mattered not. Amanda had a destiny, and Jollis had been trusted to bring that about.

And yet ... feelings had manifested for her. Was it wrong to care about the one whose future he was trying to shape? The very feelings that would make him second guess his actions were the same ones that were needed to help bring them about. It was a dilemma with which he now struggled, yet he felt if he had half the wisdom he should for this mission, he would have solved it already.

Most distasteful.

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