In the treatment area of Vanlo's office, Roquan stood in silent contemplation. Doran's eyes shot from him, to Vanlo and Lanno, and back again.

"Well?" Doran roared.

"Well, what, Doran?" Roquan asked.

"Explain to me what this means. I have a feeling I should be angry with Freya with the heat of blazing hellfire, but I want to make sure I know why."

"One would think she had done enough up to this point to earn such rebuke."

Doran shook a finger at Roquan. "Do not push me today, Roquan! I have already had it with the Urisi Ambassador and his endless stalling tactics. He has had plenty of time to experience Amanda for himself."

"Do not attempt to compete with me in righteous anger towards Ambassador Norlan. You are not the one whose slave has been abused by the use of those infernal sex seals."

"Your Lordships, please," implored Vanlo, raising his hands. "With all due respect, the matter at hand is grave enough. I believe we should deal with that first."

Roquan turned his head and nodded once. He knew if his Healer had the audacity to speak up to not one but two Overlords that the matter was very close to his heart and thus vitally important. "My apologies, Vanlo."

Doran looked at Vanlo. "You say that Freya has a Healer altering her Draught, so that it can be used outside of Portal-shock?"

"That is my understanding, yes," said Vanlo.

"And that's based on what Lanno saw in the Farview?"

"No, your Lordship," said Lanno quickly. "Vanlo had that part figured out from what he has been doing and the herbs that Freya's Healer Evella had ordered."

"Yes, yes, this bit of nonsense about reversing the effects of a Draught ..."

"It is not nonsense," Lanno snapped. "Why do you have trouble believing that a Healer with Vanlo's tremendous talent could not ..."

"Lanno, please," said Vanlo, though he could not help but let a smile tug very slightly at his lips. "Be respectful of the Overlords."

"Doran, if Vanlo says that he has done it, I tend to believe him," said Roquan.

"In the interests of fairness, however, I must state that it has yet to be tested. All empirical observations based on the knowledge of chemical interactions dictates that the theory is sound and that the counter agent I have developed should work, and, further, that the Draught can be altered to eliminate certain effects in the first place."

Doran threw up his hands. "All right, I concede! So Freya's Healer has done something similar. She can administer the Draught after Portal-shock. What of it?"

"There is another unfortunate side-effect of this, ah, breakthrough," said Vanlo. "If it can be administered outside of Portal-shock, then it can be given to anyone. Even a Narlassi."

Doran simply stared, dumbfounded, though the slight edge to his gaze suggested that he had indeed thought of the most likely consequence, but refused to accept it.

Vanlo turned to Lanno. "Lanno, please recount the bit near the end of your conversation with Evella. The one where we believe she gave you the vital clue."

Lanno nodded and did so, describing precisely how Evella had shook her had while saying key phrases. There was a pause, then Doran's eyes slowly widened.

"She has altered the Draught," said Roquan. "She has a large number of new Captives in a very short period of time. Now do you see the implications of ..."

"How dare she!" Doran exploded.

Lanno nearly jumped.

"Doran, calm down, please," Roquan began.

"Do not placate me! I will hear none of it! You are the one that ought to be bellowing, not me! That conniving bitch has the audacity to accuse you of impropriety when she herself wishes to set civilized society back three millennia! I will see her dead before I let her carry out her plans!"

"You should not speak of such things. I do not want rash action to be taken."

"Rash? You talk to me about rash?"

"I simply mean that that there has been enough strife among the Overlords. We need to take care of this in a calm manner."

"Narlassi do not enslave Narlassi! I will not ..."

Doran's towering rage faltered. He uttered a strangled gasp, staggered, and clutched at his chest.

"Great gods ..." Roquan muttered. He surged forward, but Vanlo and Lanno were already there, each gasping an arm and guiding the stricken Overlord to a seat.

"Emergency heart elixir! Now!" Vanlo shouted.

Lanno was already halfway to the cabinet. By the time he returned with a vial containing a sickly green fluid, Doran was already waving one hand shakily in the air. "I'm all right, I'm all right, stop fussing ..." he said in a weak voice, though he winced in pain, his fingers at his chest curling into his tunic.

Vanlo took the vial from Lanno, popped the cork with a single finger, and upended it into the Overlord's mouth. The Overlord swallowed as much as he could before screwing up his face in disgust and giving several explosive coughs. "Great gods in the heavens, that was awful!"

"It should ease the pain and allow your heart to work better," Vanlo said.

Slowly, Doran's fingers unclenched. He swallowed and nodded. "It's better, yes. Thank you."

"Doran, I thought you had that under control," Roquan said gravely.

Doran looked up. "Now don't you start! I get enough of that from my Healer."

"With all due respect, your Lordship, you are not doing a good job listening to him," said Vanlo mildly. "Had you not been in my office where I had quick access to my supplies, you may very well have died."

"To be fair, Vanlo, he has been under a great deal of stress lately," said Roquan.

"My recommendation is that he return to his Manor as soon as possible," said Vanlo. "His Healer has more experience with the nuances of his condition."

"I cannot leave yet," Doran said. "Not until we deal with the Urisi. And Freya! And I am feeling better the more I sit here."

"It is temporary relief only, your Lordship. If you will not return to your Manor, I will need your leave to contact your Healer directly. I trust you have a Farview pearl to him."

Doran nodded. "Her, not him. Back in my quarters."

"I will learn what treatment regime she has prescribed and attempt to duplicate it here. Realize that I will not be able to do this for long, as I do not have many cardiac herbs. There is not much call for it at this Manor."

"Really, Doran, you could go back to your Manor if you wish," said Roquan. "Rennis is on his way."

Doran frowned and stood up. "Rennis is so much like you anymore that he will just agree with whatever you say. No, I need to stay and see this through."

"I do not wish to see you die," said Roquan in an unusually somber voice. "There has been enough strife. And you are not someone I would wish to lose as a friend."

Doran paused for a long moment. It was the first time that Roquan had ever expressed friendship to him in such an overt manner. He clasped Roquan's shoulder. "I am not about to let this stop me, Roquan. I helped you trigger the events that have led us to where we are now. It is my responsibility to help see you through them."

Vanlo stepped up to them. "I must insist, your Lordships, that Overlord Doran be allowed some rest first." He handed Doran two vials, another filled with green, and a second filled with blue. "If you experience severe chest pain again, do not hesitate. Down the contents of this before contacting myself or Lanno." He indicated the green vial. "Meanwhile, take one sip of this ..." He indicated the blue vial. " ... every four candlemarks until I determine what regular treatment you require. If you cannot remember, please avail yourself of a slave to assist you."

Doran frowned as he snatched the vials from the Healer. "The problem is with my heart, not my head!"

"Lanno, please escort Overlord Doran to his quarters."

"At once," said Lanno, coming alongside Doran. The Overlord tried to wave him off at first, but Lanno persisted and led the stricken statesman from the office.

Roquan waited until they were away. "Vanlo, I honestly had no idea he had let his heart condition go to this point. He had it well under control at the Conclave."

"Yes, so much so I had no idea he had one until he clutched his chest," said Vanlo. "He really ought to be under the care of his own Healer, your Lordship. If something were to happen, I am unsure I could save his life."

Roquan sighed. "He is too stubborn. We will have to see to it that he keeps himself under control. If it had not been for that infernal Freya and her machinations ..."

"Which brings me to ask, your Lordship, if you know how you will deal with this yet?"

"I do not know, Vanlo. If she is truly attempting to turn native Narlassi into slaves, that is so reprehensible that she could be deposed without the formality of a Conclave. But I would require more proof. Unfortunately the accusation would be seen as so incredible it would take nothing short of a signed parchment containing her full confession to convince the others. Do you believe this Healer Evella could assist us?"

"My feelings on the young woman are in conflict, your Lordship," said Vanlo. "On the one hand, I feel she was very brave to bring us this information when it was clear she believed she was being monitored in some manner. But I also feel she has violated every tenet of Healing by assisting Freya in her plans."

"Lanno did say he thought she was being held against her will. Or perhaps she did not know it would be used in this manner."

Vanlo slowly nodded. "Such is the impetuousness of youth, to jump in feet-first without knowing how deep the waters."

Roquan's gaze hardened as he glanced towards the door. "This must not go on. Not Freya and not the Urisi. I must insist the Ambassador give me a decision. I must lift that burden from Doran's shoulders."

"I voice a similar concern, your Lordship, but it is more for Amanda's sake."

Roquan looked at his healer. "You do not need to remind me of that."

"My apologies, your Lordship. But she does not look happy at all in that covering that the Ambassador insists she wear."

"A sex seal. The most barbaric thing ever devised by the Urisi slavemasters. You will cease to see it on Amanda once the treaty is concluded. It sickens me that I agreed to it for the sake of a signed scrap of parchment."

"You do what you believe is the best for all," said Vanlo. "You have always done that, and you will continue to do it. That is all you can do."

Roquan slowly relaxed. "Thank you, Vanlo. I am glad that there is someone who will not hate me for this."

Vanlo shook his head. "Do not underestimate Amanda. You should realize by now, your Lordship, that you do so at your own peril."

"I was actually concerned about Sirinna."

"Ah. Your Lordship ... about Sirinna ..." Vanlo shifted uneasily. "As I mentioned before, I have prepared what I believe will be the counter agent to the intelligence degradation but it needs to be tested. And ..."

"And you wish to test it upon Sirinna."

"More to the point, Amanda wishes it."

"Permission is granted, Vanlo."

Vanlo hesitated. When he spoke again, his voice was more subdued. "Your Lordship, I feel you and Amanda both place too much confidence in me. You both believe me infallible."

Roquan raised an eyebrow. "I do not understand."

"You tasked me with one thing only, which was to find an antidote for the intelligence degradation in new slaves."

"Yes, and you already informed me that you can do the same after the fact. I said before it was good news and I meant it."

"But would you also consider the restoration of memory to be such as well?"

Roquan looked surprised. "Restoration of memory? Is that even possible?"

"As it turns out, your Lordship, the Draught is based on a premise that is wrong: that memory is destroyed by the Draught. It is merely suppressed. That alone is what allowed me to counter the effect."

"But you can choose which effects to counter, correct?"

Vanlo paused. "In time, yes. At the risk of shattering your illusions about me, your Lordship, it appears that my initial calculations were off. I had thought that it was the addition of the sexual enhancement that degraded intelligence. It is not. It is, in fact, the memory suppression itself."

"Which means?"

"Memory and intelligence are very tightly entwined. It is exceedingly difficult to alter one and not affect the other. Hence the original problem of degraded intelligence. I have tried my best with this first elixir. But I do not believe I have achieved a sufficient separation. I believe it will reverse the degraded intelligence. But it may also open the door on blocked memories."

Roquan stepped away from Vanlo, brow wrinkled in thought. "And if you are given more time?"

"I will likely achieve more separation. I cannot tell you if it will ever be complete."

"We are under no deadline, Vanlo."

"No, we are not. But I suspect that I will be unable to obtain more ingredients without resorting to the black market. The Healer Hall is objecting to my research and is withholding supplies."

Roquan frowned. "Objecting? Why?"

Vanlo paused, then shook his head. "The reasons are not important now, your Lordship. We are faced with a dilemma. I can very well discard this first attempt and continue, resorting to other means to obtain ingredients if needed. But without the knowledge that this potion works at all, I could very well be going up a blind alley."

Roquan let out a sigh through his nose. "So you do need to test it now."

"I wish to test it now. But you needed to know the implications first."

Roquan nodded. "The purpose of the memory removal ... suppression ... was to make the slave more tractable and easier to train. Certainly this is not something that is required for Sirinna. She has proven her loyalty to me many times over. I do not believe this will be to her detriment or mine."

"Realize, your Lordship, that increased intelligence itself may spark increased ambition to be something other than a slave."

"So be it."

Vanlo allowed himself a small smile. "That is as I had hoped it would be. Very well, I will arrange it. I wish to perform a few chemical tests on the elixir first to insure its purity."

"The timing on this could not be more perfect, Vanlo. Rennis is coming to the Manor. He cares for Sirinna as much as I, if not more. I am sure he will be happy to see this as well."

Ambassador Norlan cast a placid gaze down at Amanda. One hand lay lightly against the back of her head, though it was largely for ceremony. He found Amanda's skills required no coaching from him. It was symbolic of his mastery over her, that he could move her to a rhythm of his desire should he wish it.

Despite her skill, the only sign of his rising excitement was a slightly elevated breathing. Amanda could only barely hear it, but wondered if she really had. From behind her, another slave groped her breasts to keep her aroused for him.

She closed her eyes and tried hard to concentrate on her task and nothing else. She focused her mind on the sensations from his manhood sliding past lips and tongue, on the musky aroma of his arousal, on the feel of his balls bouncing lightly against her fingers.

The other slave teased her taut nipples, flicking at them with her fingertips. Amanda shuddered, and her thighs quivered. She let out a moan as moisture gathered and oozed through the seal.

Amanda slid her knees apart, as if expecting a touch. But she knew none would come, and even if it had, she would not feel it.

By the time Norlan uttered a very soft groan as his pleasure crescendoed, Amanda was shivering with desire. Her nipples had been left more sensitive by an over-indulgence of the salve naiduna under her brief time with Overlord Freya. Touching them for any length of time was a sure way to arouse her intensely.

Amanda felt her Master's fingers curl into her hair, and he uttered a short, heavy gasp as his manhood throbbed. Amanda struggled to keep her mind on the last of her task: milking him until he was spent, and then carefully cleaning him with her tongue and lips. She swallowed obviously and with relish.

Norlan stepped back, softly panting. He paused to catch his breath before gesturing towards Amanda and the other slave. "Rise."

The two slaves stood. Amanda was panting hard as the other slave did not cease her ministrations.

Norlan closed his robe and stepped forward. He reached between Amanda's legs and ran a finger over her slit. It came back slick and moist. Amanda looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Stop," the Ambassador said. The other slave lowered her hands from Amanda's breasts. "You may go."

The slave bowed her head respectfully and left. Amanda raised her sultry eyes to Norlan. They became more desperate as Norlan grasped her breasts and played with her nipples. She uttered a low whimper and swung her hips back and forth in a vain attempt to relieve the growing pressure in her sex.

"You think this is cruel, don't you, slave?" Norlan asked.

"I ... n-no ... I don't ..."

She let out another needful moan when Norlan pinched her nipples and tugged at them. "Do not lie to me, slave."

"I-I'm not ... not for me ... cruel maybe for another slave, one that's had the Draught ..." Amanda managed to stammer.

"As the Overlord is so fond of telling me. Did he put you up to saying that to me?"

"No, Master! I thought of it on my own. I can think, because I haven't had the Draught."

Norlan paused, then lowered his hands. Amanda let out a whimper, her hands briefly clenching at her sides. The constant sensual assault had made her pussy rise as if it had been stimulated directly, and now it sat in unrelenting, steamy sexual heat behind its prison.

"That was rather bold of you to say," said Norlan with a small smile.

Amanda did not bother to disguise the look of defiance in her eyes.

"And how do you come to this conclusion, slave?"

Amanda hesitated. The words had come in a moment of weakness. "Just that the other slaves are too distracted by their sexual needs to be able to think of much else, Master."

"Ah, yes, the sexual need. It seems the Overlord is quite concerned about that as well."

Amanda said nothing, despite having the desire to do so.

"Realize that our own slaves back home also have sexual cravings." He reached into his robe and withdrew another cherry-colored vial. "As you have already seen. It does not traumatize in the least."

Amanda eyed the vial anxiously. If he were to insist she drink it now, she would be practically useless at the Healer office. She wondered if that was how slaves were kept in line in the Urisi Nation, by giving them nothing else to think about except their intense sexual need that could be satisfied only when her Master or Mistress unsealed her.

Norlan smiled. "And, to be honest, the great appeal of Oceanus slaves is that we do not need to use this on them. That is, of course, unless more were Draughtless, like yourself."

Amanda continued to stare at the vial. She could only think of hapless slaves being forced to suffer in constant, burning lust with no way to satisfy it. For all the faults of that particular additive in the Draught, at least Overlords allowed their slaves to indulge themselves as they needed.

Norlan slipped the vial back into his pocket. "No, I will not use this on you now, slave. But I will not unseal you just yet. Come to me at the midday hour. I will unseal you then so that you may attend to your training. You may go."

"Thank you, Master," said Amanda dutifully.

"I am saddened to hear of Doran's illness," said Ambassador Norlan in a somber tone. "I wish him a speedy recovery."

"He is not quite infirm," Roquan said as he handed Norlan a goblet of wine. "It was one episode due to a chronic heart condition. He should be fine with some rest."

"That is good to hear. Do you wish to postpone negotiations until he is better?"

Roquan was tempted to take Norlan up on his offer, if for no other reason than Freya would not enjoy overhearing their debate. He could not ask the Ambassador to meet him elsewhere in the Manor. To do so would be to potentially alert Freya, as Roquan had to assume that Norlan was in communication with her. Even if he were not, he would question the sudden change of venue, giving him further cause to stall.

"No," Roquan said firmly. "Doran would not want us to delay, and I am anxious to conclude this treaty."

Norlan smiled. "Conclude? I do like your optimism, Overlord."

Roquan remained unperturbed. "There is no more need for this endless back and forth between us. There is but one remaining issue on the table."

Norlan paused to take a sip of his wine. "Ah, yes, the sex seals."

"You have heard every conceivable argument against their use, so I will not repeat them. Suffice it to say that I have made an ample case of why they would be detrimental to my slaves. I do not speak for your use of them on Urisi slaves, only mine and those of the other Overlords. What remains from you is to decide whether you will concede on the sole issue standing between us and a signed treaty."

The Ambassador looked thoughtful, taking another sip of his wine. "You know, Overlord, Amanda is a most fascinating young slave."

Roquan's eyes narrowed, but he otherwise controlled his response. "Indeed?"

"Very much so. Rather unlike the Draughtless slaves in the Urisi Nation."

"I beg your pardon?"

Norlan offered Roquan a tiny smile. "A dirty little secret of the Urisi. Only, not so secret on our side of the ocean."

"You keep Draughtless slaves?" Roquan asked, incredulous. "Intentionally?"

The Ambassador laughed. "I could ask the same of you where Amanda is concerned."

"Her circumstances are unique. I had not intended to have a Draughtless slave."

Norlan's eyebrow rose in interest. "Oh?"

"I will not discuss the matter further, as it is a distraction. You have not answered my question."

"You asked two questions. The answer to the first is 'yes,' we keep Draughtless slaves. The answer to the second depends on who you ask. It is not exactly considered a ... reputable trade among those in high society."

"I have wondered why Amanda fascinates you so much."

Ambassador Norlan grinned. "Very good, Overlord, that was very subtle. Very subtle indeed. You are learning the fine art of 'diplomatic insult.'"

Roquan frowned. "Enough of this sparring. I abided by your request. I allowed you your time with Amanda. I even held my tongue when you used that infernal sex seal upon her. Now I call upon you to end this and give me an answer."

The Ambassador took he a long sip of his wine and put the goblet down. He folded his hands before him and looked the Overlord in the eye. "The sex seals will be used as they always have. I will not concede."

Roquan's eyes blazed. "You do not negotiate in good faith, Ambassador."

"You act as if I had promised you something and then reneged on it. I promised nothing. Negotiation is not about promises, it is about give and take. And you have not been very giving."

"I give when your requests are reasonable."

"Reasonable to whom, Overlord? Reasonable to the Overlords? Or reasonable to you?"

"They are one and the same. I am representing ..."

"That is not what I saw from Doran so many times. That is one reason why I am distressed at his absence. I can often tell what the other Overlords would really think by observing his reactions. And I can safely say the other Overlords would be more accommodating."

Roquan wanted to rail against the Ambassador that he was wrong and that he had no proof of these suppositions. But Roquan knew it was the truth. They would have been more accommodating. The other Overlords were much better at viewing an action as disdainful but going along with it anyway for a perceived greater good.

Or a greater profit.

The more the days wore on, the more Roquan was forced to defend his actions and his convictions, the less enamored he was of his position in life. Since he had passed into adulthood, he had thought that being an Overlord was his calling. When he obtained the D'ronstaq Manor from his ailing father, it had been the most exciting day of his life.

He realized that what he really wanted was not so much to go back to his life of being "just an Overlord." He wanted to go back to those heady days of his youth, when he had first stood upon the edge of the Circle watching the slaves -- his slaves -- and saw nothing but a limitless vista of what he could accomplish given enough time.

"But you would continue to claim that I do not know how to negotiate," continued Norlan. "So I will accommodate you one last time. I will concede on the sex seals if you sell Amanda to me as part of the deal."

"No," Roquan replied immediately.

"That is not what the other Overlords would say, now is it?"

Roquan turned two eyes of pure ice towards the Ambassador. "Amanda is not owned by the other Overlords. I alone own her."

"And what would Doran say of this?"

"He would say the exact gods-damned thing!" boomed a voice from the door.

Both men turned. Doran was breathing hard, gripping the frame of the door, his knuckles white. He shot a look of venom at the Ambassador.

"Doran, you should not be up," said Roquan, coming to his side. "If you have another attack like the last one ..."

Doran waved him off. "I'll sooner die than see this cretinous fool get Amanda!"

Roquan was shocked by his friend's vehemence. Norlan simply raised an eyebrow.

Doran drew himself up and stepped fully inside. His gait was shaky, but there was no mistaking the fire in his eyes. He walked up to Norlan. "Ambassador, Roquan is the duly selected representative of the Overlords. If he states he will not sell Amanda, that is good enough for you!"

Norlan's eyes flicked between the two Overlords. "Very well. Then I cannot concede on the sex seals."

"Is that your final word?"

"Yes."

Doran nodded once. He turned to Roquan. "Concede on the sex seals and be done with this travesty of a treaty."

Roquan sighed in exasperation. "Doran, please ..."

"Hellfire, Roquan! Your slaves are the best trained, most loyal, most intelligent, most resilient of all the slaves in Oceanus. They are not so delicate that they will break at the least little pressure. And that ..." He poked a finger hard into Roquan's chest. " ... is something every Overlord will agree with!"

Roquan was astounded. He had never heard such open praise for his slaves from any Overlord, even his closest friends. Even Rennis tended to deliver his praise in a more back-handed way, as if reluctant to concede the crown to him. Rennis had been the one Roquan had admired and emulated during the first days of his Overlordship. At the time, Rennis had had the best slaves in Oceanus.

Norlan turned to Roquan. "Overlord? Do you concede? Have we settled the matter of the sex seals?"

Roquan gave Doran a very grateful look before turning to Norlan. He hardened his gaze again at once. "It is settled."

"Very good. Then I will set about writing my draft of the treaty. You will write yours, and we will reconcile the two into one document."

"Yes, let us get started at once."

Norlan nodded. "Good day to you, Overlords," he said stiffly before heading out.

"Doran, I am not sure what to say," Roquan said in a soft voice. "I cannot tell you how much your words meant."

"Not that I am not grateful for the praise, Roquan," said Doran in a quavering voice. "But I believe I should go rest now."

"Of course. You can use my bedchamber if ..."

"I would much prefer my own quarters if you don't mind." Doran jerked his head towards where Roquan kept his Farviewing pearls.

Roquan slowly nodded. "Of course. I shall take you there at once."

Doran draped an arm about Roquan's shoulders and let his friend guide him out and down the path away from Roquan's quarters.

"Doran, why did you do that?" Roquan asked urgently. "You could very well have stressed yourself again."

"I'll tell you why," Doran hissed. "I did not want to give Freya the satisfaction of hearing you wrestle with the decision to sell Amanda."

Roquan frowned. "There was no decision to be made. I would not sell her no matter what threats were made by the Ambassador."

"Then let's just say I did not want Freya gloating over what you were being put through."

"So those words of praise you spoke, were they simply for the benefit of ..."

"I meant every one of those words!" Doran boomed despite his weakness. "You do not give your own slaves, or your own abilities, enough credit. They will handle this. Some of them have handled worse."

For a moment, the only sound that of Doran's labored breathing. "Thank you," said Roquan.

Doran waved his hand awkwardly. "Anyway, now it's over. We'll have that treaty, and it is not a moment too soon."

"What do you mean?"

Doran wheezed. "Just ... get me to my quarters first ..."

Roquan moved as quickly as his friend's condition would allow. As soon as they arrived, two slaves rushed forward and took one of Doran's arms each to guide him to his bed while a rather displeased Vanlo looked on.

Doran glanced at either of the two slaves. "Traitors," he muttered.

"It is I that instructed them to notify me if you attempted something foolish, your Lordship," said Vanlo. "Now, I must ask that everyone leave."

"Wait!" Doran cried after he fell into bed. "I have something to tell Roquan."

"Can this wait, your Lordship?"

"No." And without waiting for a reply, he turned to Roquan. "I have news. Only a rumor, but from a reliable source. The Emperor is about to march again. To the north."

Roquan's jaw tightened. "I have not heard anything from Duric."

"Likely he is too busy. And why would he need to check everything with you anyway? Stop missing the point! The war is going to heat up in a big way. That may buy us some time regarding Freya."

Roquan nodded. "Very well. Thank you for informing me, and for your help. I will leave you to rest." He looked up. "Vanlo, take good care of him, please."

"I most certainly will, if his Lordship lets me," said Vanlo.

"Yes, yes, I give in!" said Doran. "Now, shut up, all of you, so I can sleep!"

Lanno had trouble staying focused. Amanda already had to clean up three messes left by his fumbling hands. Each time Amanda came near, it only distracted him further. Finally, the third time it happened, Lanno sighed and turned away. "Amanda, you can finish up this patient, she just needs a salve for the scratches she took from a thorny bush in the gardens."

Amanda looked up in surprise. "Um ... yes, Master, of ..."

Lanno had already retreated into the back room by the time the words were halfway from Amanda's lips.

Amanda dutifully attended to the slave and sent her away. After she finished cleaning up, she tentatively approached the door to the back room.

She found Lanno in a position very much like Vanlo, sitting and staring at the apparatus. Amanda glanced back into the treatment room to make sure the slave had left before she said, "Lanno, is something wrong? You've seemed out of sorts all morning."

Lanno looked up. His eyes flicked to the dull sheen that coated her sex. He tried not to frown. "It's nothing, just forget it."

"Are you worried about Overlord Doran?"

Lanno shook his head. "No, he's in good hands with Vanlo."

Amanda hesitated. "Or his work on the Draught? Is something wrong with that?"

Lanno waved a hand. "He's practically done. He just needs to run some last tests on it. Only real problem with it is that it might release some of the suppressed memories, too."

"You mean the memories that were taken by the Draught?"

Lanno nodded. "Some of them, anyway. He's not sure how to separate the two yet."

Amanda replied on impulse. "Why would he want to separate them? What's wrong with knowing who you ..."

"Look, um, you'll have to talk to him about all this," Lanno said, flustered. He had wanted to leave it up to Vanlo to inform Amanda of his recent progress. "The point is, he's doing great and he's almost finished."

Amanda nodded quickly. "That's good news, isn't it?"

"Um, yeah, it is."

"So why are you so upset?"

"Really, Amanda, it's nothing."

"It must be something."

"And how would you know?" Lanno said a little more sharply than he intended.

"Because you haven't smiled or made a single lewd comment to me all morning."

Lanno looked up in surprise. "Lewd comment? Since when do I make those to you?"

"Every day."

"I do? Um ... I guess I didn't realize ..."

A faint smile touched Amanda's lips. "I didn't say I didn't like them. Which is how I noticed you had stopped."

"Oh, uh ... well ..." His eyes flicked down again. "I guess I didn't want to make things worse for you."

When Amanda looked confused, Lanno gestured impatiently towards Amanda's nether regions. Amanda finally glanced down. "You mean this? What does that have to do with it?"

"I don't know, it ... it just didn't seem appropriate."

"Afraid you would get me horny without being able to follow it up?"

Lanno was still occasionally surprised by the boldness of Amanda's speech. One corner of his mouth tugged upwards. "Yeah, something like that, I guess."

"He doesn't make me wear it all day. He's going to remove it at midday."

"But only to slap it back on you in the evening. Not that I get any time with you anyway even then ..."

"Oh, that's what it is!" Amanda said. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know. I miss it too. And Sirinna."

Lanno folded his arms as if needing to keep them under control. "How much longer are you going to have to do this?" he asked in a petulant voice.

"I don't know. It's not permanent."

"You sure? Roquan isn't going to sell you to him? To the Urisi Ambassador?"

Amanda shook her head. "No, not according to what Master Roquan said to me."

"He better not."

Amanda grinned. "Why, what are you going to do to him if he does?"

Lanno smirked. "Oh, no, you're not going to get me like that. You have me say something like that, and then you run off and tell Roquan on me to get me into trouble. Well, I'm not falling for that."

"Hellfire, you found me out."

Lanno blinked in surprise. "Huh? I did?"

Amanda nodded, trying to suppress a grin. "Yes, I was going to do exactly that. Get you into a lot of trouble."

Lanno stared for a long moment before he finally noticed the amusement in her eyes. Amanda giggled softly when it was clear he finally realized she was joking.

Lanno grinned. "You know, that was very naughty of you, my little slave."

Amanda smiled. "Are you going to punish me for that?"

"Hmm. Do you have something in mind?"

Amanda paused. Her smile faded a bit, but her eyes grew increasingly sultry. "Spank me."

Lanno nearly did a double-take. "What?"

"You can ... I'll let you spank me ... after Master Norlan releases me from his service."

"But ... I thought you told me you didn't ..."

"I know," Amanda said, and hesitated again. "But maybe I don't dislike it as much as I thought I did. If the right person is doing it."

Lanno slowly smiled. He reached up and gave Amanda a light, playful slap on her rear.

Amanda uttered a small, surprised gasp, then let it out as a sultry sigh. "Um ... better not do that any more, not if you do want me to get excited with no way to deal with it."

"Oh, sorry ..."

Amanda smiled. She kissed him softly. "It's okay. And I promise I'll let you know as soon as Master Norlan releases me. Now, I better get back inside, I told Master Vanlo I would finish refilling his herb pouches before midday."

Lanno stood up. "I want to go check on how Vanlo is doing with Doran anyway. Um ... thanks, Amanda."

"For what?"

"Just ... for everything.

Amanda was a bit perplexed, but she nodded and smiled.

The two parted. Amanda watched Lanno head out the back door of the office before returning to her task. She paused at the counter. She reached between her legs and felt the warm moisture over her seal. She let out a sigh and shook her head.

Amanda had surprised even herself. She never thought she would come to terms with this quirk in her sexual tastes. But giving permission to Lanno put her back in control. Now she could enjoy it once it was no longer forced upon her.

She again glanced towards the door. Was she already trying to seek yet another relationship? Was that even what Lanno had in mind? Or was this just a backlash over the hurt that she had suffered from Jollis? Not that she had ever stopped feeling affection towards the merchant, even as tainted as it was.

It was all confusing to her. She wished she had someone she could talk to about it, someone that would understand. But all those people were an entire universe away.

Amanda finally shook her head. No, they would not understand me. I've changed too much. This world has changed me. I'm just not the same person anymore. I could never go back.

Sirinna rose from the furs and glanced at the darkening skies. "It's time to get you to Master Norlan, Amanda."

Amanda did not want to move. She was perfectly comfortable where she was. The furs were soft and inviting, and her pussy ached pleasantly from the intensity of afternoon training and then of her intimacy with her lover.

Sirinna smiled faintly. "I do hope you didn't wear yourself out."

Amanda managed a smile in return as she sat up. "No, I'm all right."

"Are you sure? You were a bit ... frenzied, it seemed."

Amanda actually blushed. She had thrown herself into training with a zeal she rarely felt anymore. It was as if she had intended to experience as many orgasms as she could in a single session. It had been her act of defiance against Norlan.

Amanda stood. "I guess did get a little carried away today."

"I suppose what Master Norlan is doing to you is ... well, not pleasant."

Amanda still detected the hesitation whenever her lover spoke words even remotely unfavorable towards a Master. "It's not. But I can deal with it as long as I need to."

"Hopefully, not much longer. I do miss you at night."

Amanda smiled, but it was a bit forced. She felt guilty that what she was really thinking about was Lanno. Sex with Norlan was not bad, but it felt bland and uninspired. Lanno was, by far, better in bed.

"Do you want an escort, Amanda?" Sirinna asked.

"No, I'm okay. I think Master Norlan prefers it this way."

Sirinna nodded and carefully hid her disappointment.

All slaves she trained got to this point. They wanted to show they could start acting on their own with their expanded privileges. Sirinna always felt proud of them. It was a sign of accomplishment both for Trainer and Trainee.

This time Sirinna felt a sense of loss, as if Amanda no longer needed her. She was sure it was not true, and the origin of the thought mystified her. It was as confusing as the images that continued to disturb her at night, often waking her and making her shiver from fears that made no sense.

"I'll stop by in the morning before I head over to Master Vanlo's office," said Amanda.

Sirinna drew Amanda into a soft embrace and gave her a lingering kiss. "Be well and please your Master as best you can, Amanda."

Amanda offered a tiny smile. "Always."

She stepped towards the door, then stopped just short and turned around. "This is going to sound like a really odd question, but do you ever wonder what it was you forgot when you had the Draught?"

Sirinna smiled faintly. "Haven't you asked me something like that before?"

"Did I?"

"Yes, I think it was when we were talking about Master Rennis, when Yarra had made Master Roquan think those terrible things of him."

Amanda nodded slowly. "Yes, I think I remember ... oh ... about ... about what you overheard ..." She trailed off.

"Yes, about Master Rennis saying something about me being abused back in my homeworld, before I was brought here."

In all her excitement about Vanlo's breakthrough, Amanda had forgotten about that. And now what Vanlo was developing could actually unlock those memories ...

"Sirinna, are you sure of that?" Amanda asked. "I mean, are you sure he wasn't talking about someone else?"

Sirinna considered. "It was a long time ago, Amanda, I don't recall all the details. But I was rather frightened as a new Captive, even with the Draught."

"You still had some of your memories?"

Sirinna slowly shook her head. "No, not really. The fear was really vague."

"So ... it might not have been that."

"I don't know what to tell you, love."

Amanda was torn. She was going to tell Sirinna what Vanlo had done. To Amanda, it could be nothing but good. Sirinna would have a past again. It would make her more of a complete person, more whole.

But the mention of the overheard conversation and the possible abuse had been forgotten. Or she had conveniently disregarded it. "I guess I just didn't want to think that someone would want to harm you," said Amanda. "Even in the past."

Sirinna smiled and hugged Amanda tightly. "If it helps, Amanda, I truly remember nothing of my past. For good or for bad."

"There has to be some good in your past, Sirinna. Everybody has. Even I have good memories of my time on Earth."

"You're probably right. But I consider all the memories I have had since I came here to be very good, and that's what matters to me."

Amanda nodded and smiled faintly. "To me as well," she said in a weak voice.

"Now, you better get going, Amanda. Master Norlan likely will not want to be kept waiting."

"Yes, I know, gods forbid that he has to wait a candlemark to slap a sex seal on me again."

Sirinna gave Amanda a warning look. "Amanda ..."

Amanda rolled her eyes and grinned. "I'm just kidding. I'm not going to act like that in front of him. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, in the morning, love," Sirinna said softly.

Amanda left, letting in a cool breeze that swirled around Sirinna. She felt a chill far more frigid than just the touch of evening air, and she wrapped her arms about herself tightly.

Memories. Surely that was not what those strange and horrifying images were. They could not be from her past. No one would have consciously inflicted so much pain and suffering on one so young.

The very concept was beyond her Draught-impaired understanding.

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