Chapter 17

Amanda was having a dream.

She was running through the gardens of the Manor, Roquan in slow pursuit, a Trainee collar dangling from the chain that he held in his hand. He walked behind Amanda at a leisurely pace, in no need to hurry, for no matter path Amanda picked for escape, it curved back and brought her back to Roquan every time.

Amanda ran again, and again, and every time it was the same. Finally, when she again turned to run, there were no more paths. She was trapped in the Circle with him. Yet when he advanced on her again, a figure stepped out from behind the trees. Suddenly, the chain in Roquan's hand was a snake, and he dropped it in alarm. It hissed and bared its fangs at the Overlord, and chased him into the brush.

The man turned and stepped out of the shadows.

Amanda gasped. "Father! Oh, father, thank you!"

Amanda stepped forward to embrace him, and her foot came down on something that shattered underneath her, causing her to cry out in pain. She looked down to find she had stepped on a glass liquor bottle, which had broken into shards under her now-bleeding foot. She raised her eyes, and the entire clearing was littered with more of them.

Amanda looked up at Frank, stricken. He stepped further from the shadows, revealing the collar around his neck. Another figured stirred in the shadows behind him, emerging into the light, holding the other end of the chain in one hand, and another chain and collar in the other.

"It's time to come back to the home now, Amanda," said Joan Mallard, her eyes glittering.

"Amanda?"

Amanda awoke with a start, jerking at the touch to her shoulder, heart fluttering until she turned over and her bleary eyes managed to focus. "S-Sirinna," she said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I was going to let you sleep a little longer," Sirinna said softly. "But you were whimpering, and I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Amanda nodded and sat up in bed. "Just a bad dream, that's all."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Amanda looked at Sirinna. She was no longer looking so peaked and bloodshot, but it was clear that she was not the same person Amanda had known from a day before. Her eyes were dull and listless, the tiny smile on her lips forced. Her face was a mask of melancholy, her voice weak and sad.

"Sirinna, are you all right?"

Amanda knew it was a stupid question the moment it was out of her mouth. Sirinna just gave Amanda a wan smile and nodded slowly. "I'm fine. I'm sorry for getting so hysterical last night."

Amanda knew Sirinna was still upset, but there was no point in pursuing it. Sirinna would just keep denying there was nothing wrong. She turned her head and looked out the window, blinking at how bright it was outside. "Did I oversleep?"

"A little." Sirinna sat down on the edge of the bed. "I already fetched us some breakfast, but... um... on the way back, I was told that Master Roquan wants to see you when you awaken."

Amanda sighed and covered her eyes with her hand. "What did I do now?"

"No, no, Amanda, it's nothing like yesterday," Sirinna said, her voice cracking a bit. She paused and took a quick, deep breath. "I think he just wants to discuss something with you."

Amanda threw the covers off and hopped out of bed, a sullen look on her face. "If he asked me anything more about anything I saw or heard in this place, I'm just denying everything. I'm not going through all that again!"

Sirinna sighed and placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder. "I think he just wants to talk to you about the Portal. I think he's going to..." Sirinna stopped for a moment when her throat threatened to close up on her. In a very soft but very emotional voice she continued, "... open the Portal tonight."

"So what does he need me now for?"

Sirinna swallowed. "I imagine he wants to ask you what you decision is."

"Now??"

"Well, if... i-if you decided to stay, what's the point of energizing the Portal?"

Amanda glanced at Sirinna and quickly looked away. She could not stand to see the defeated look in Sirinna's eyes.

This was the ultimate in torment for both her and Sirinna. She had an opportunity to get both of them away from Roquan and and still stay together as they wanted, yet she was going to be forced to make Sirinna believe she wanted to go home. She had to tell Roquan she wanted to leave, if he were to power up the Portal and allow Yanna to spirit them away to Master Rennis' Manor.

"Sirinna," Amanda began, but closed her mouth quickly.

"Yes, love?"

Amanda bit her lip. No, she couldn't tell her, if for no other reason than what she did not know would not get her in trouble with Roquan.

Amanda shook her head. "Nothing. I'll go see Roquan now and get this over with."

Roquan said nothing for nearly a full minute after Amanda had walked into his quarters, staring at her with a hard, even gaze. Amanda stood with her hands folded demurely in front of her, trying not to feel affected by this last attempt at intimidating her.

It was with relief on her part when Roquan finally spoke. "I suppose that this is largely a formality. I believe I can guess what your decision is after recent events."

Amanda's lips tightened, down-turning into a small frown.

"Nevertheless, I will ask it, since if you happen to surprise me, it will save me from having to open the Portal. So, Amanda, have you..."

"I've decided I want to go home, Overlord," Amanda said a little loudly.

Roquan's face was stone. She had interrupted him. Again. "I suppose that is for the best," Roquan commented in a carefully neutral tone of voice. "For all of our sakes."

"All? Yourself included, Overlord?"

"Especially me, Amanda."

"And here you were so hot to collar me yesterday. What happened?"

Amanda was not sure what made her decide to be cheeky towards Roquan again. Perhaps it was resentment over forcing her to make this decision now just because he wanted to save his own precious time. Perhaps it was a last parting shot, knowing she was going to be gone one way or the other by nightfall.

Whatever the reason, Roquan chose not to rise to the bait. He remained calm as he leaned back in his chair, regarding Amanda with a look that was almost one of amusement. "You do not like what you see here, do you?"

Amanda paused. "Come again?"

"Few outworlders get a chance to see what you have seen from a perspective unaffected by the Draught. And I am sure Sirinna did her best to put the very best face upon it. So tell me, Amanda. Despite all that, you still hate what you see? Do you still see no merit in all of it?"

Amanda looked at the Overlord for a few seconds, eyes narrowing. "Do you really want an honest answer, Overlord? Or do you want another excuse to spank me again?"

"I wish an honest answer."

"Actually, Overlord, I discovered that being a slave is not quite as bad as I had thought after staying here a few days."

Roquan raised an eyebrow. "Indeed? So it is not slavery you dislike?"

"No." Amanda gave Roquan an icy look. "It's you I dislike."

"Then you must dislike all Overlords, for the others are no different."

Amanda shook her head. "No, I think that some of them probably are."

"In what way?"

"They actually listen to people other than themselves."

Roquan paused. Anger flickered in his eyes. "Were you to stay, Amanda," Roquan said brusquely, "I sincerely doubt I would give you any more reason to like me, for I am convinced you would earn yourself nothing but punishment for all your time as a Trainee. If you ever came out of training, that is."

Amanda chose to be defiant to the last, and she retorted, "Don't be so sure, Overlord. I've been told several times now I'm rather clever. I just might have surprised you."

And to Amanda's surprise, the anger vanished from Roquan's face. When he spoke again, his voice was softer. "You know, you might have at that."

Amanda gave Roquan a nonplussed look.

Roquan smiled enigmatically. "Good day to you, Amanda."

Still a bit stunned, Amanda hesitated a moment before finally turning and walking out the door.

Roquan watched her go and shook his head. "If I didn't wind up wanting to auction you off at the first chance I had," he said tiredly.

Amanda and Sirinna remained silent through much of their breakfast, their appetites fueled only by the fact that neither of them had had much to eat the night before. Halfway through the meal, however, their initial hunger sated, they returned to picking idly at their food. Each glanced occasionally at the other, as if each were daring the other to speak first.

Finally Sirinna broke the silence. "So, um... is Master Roquan going to be powering up the Portal today?" she asked in a ridiculously false upbeat voice.

"Yes," Amanda said listlessly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sirinna just nodded. "I, uh, guess it's for the best, right?"

Amanda looked up. "Don't make me answer that, Sirinna."

Sirinna's eyes glistened and she nodded again silently, taking a deep breath to try to keep her composure from shattering. Yet she almost lost it again when she said quietly, "I'm going to miss you, Amanda."

Amanda heaved an emotional sigh and reached out to Sirinna. They embraced, nearly up-ending the food platter between them. Amanda closed her eyes tightly. "I'll miss you, too," she said in a weak voice.

They remained like that for a long time, hugging each other, neither one wanting to let go. Finally Amanda edged herself back from it and said to Sirinna, "Can we spend the day together, Sirinna? We only have..."

Sirinna was already shaking her head sadly, despondent. "I have to go to the Circle after breakfast, Amanda."

"Why? Oh..." There was a hard edge to Amanda's eyes. "Your punishment."

"I'm really sorry, Amanda." Sirinna's eyes shimmered.

Amanda did not want to see Sirinna cry again. She could not stand it anymore. She was already causing Sirinna enough pain by not telling her of Yanna's plans. "We'll be together again one more time before I leave, right? You'll come to the Portal to see me off?"

Sirinna nodded, managing a weak smile.

Amanda had a flash of insight. "So... what does this Portal look like?"

Sirinna described it. She told her of the golden energy column, and the crystal sphere and the glittering red dewomer within. "Oh, that sounds interesting!" Amanda said brightly. "I'd love to see it before the Portal opens."

"Slaves are generally not allowed in the Portal building without Master Roquan's permission, love."

"Oh, but he wouldn't object if we just showed up a little early, would he? Maybe like around twilight? Surely that would be okay?"

"I'm not sure..."

"Please? If he asks, we can claim we just got there ahead of him. Or that I was so eager to get away from Roquan that I couldn't wait to get to the Portal. Or... "

"Okay, okay," Sirinna said, chuckling softly. She actually smiled. Despite how painful it was going to be to see Amanda go, she was very happy to have known her. Amanda was unlike anyone else she had ever met. No other girl or boy her age had ever been as mature and as caring as she was. Compassion was such a vital quality for a good slave to have. It was truly a pity that she would not put it to use in that manner.

Sirinna quickly shook off these thoughts, knowing they would make her slide into depression again, and she could not afford to do that. "I'm done with breakfast, love," Sirinna said, lightly stroking Amanda's hair. "I wish I could stay with you, but I can't."

"I know. Will I see you at the midday meal?"

Sirinna stood up. "Oh, yes. And... I wouldn't mind you coming and finding me now and then. I know you probably won't like what you see, but... I-I'd appreciate the support."

Amanda stood and gave Sirinna one last quick hug. "I will."

Sirinna gave Amanda another wan smile and walked out.

The respite from the tropical heat was brief. The coolness of the night was quickly banished by the bright morning sunlight. By the time the sun had risen into the cloudless blue skies above the Manor, its rays already began to bake the ground, quickly drying the remaining puddles from the storm, sending tiny thermals shimmering into the air.

It took only moments in the sunlight to make the already listless Yanna walk with an increasing tired and slouching gait, as if wilting in the heat. Several times, Hiatha snapped the chain to make her walk upright, and by the third snap, she simply gave up, sighing to herself. She looked over to Garas, who walked steady and with his head held high, like a proper slave. He had vastly improved since that incident in the Circle, and even more so since Hiatha had been given Yanna. She suspected Garas was showing off a little, proving that he was the much better trained slave of the two of them.

Hiatha might have chided him for his smugness if he hadn't been so right.

It was very clear from the start that Hiatha would not have much better luck with Yanna with her training that morning, either. Hiatha had continued the exercises she had started the afternoon before. Thus Yanna stood for long periods tensing her sexual muscles to hold weights of increasing heaviness in her tunnel, and she could barely manage half the time or a third of the weight as the day before.

Yanna's sexual pleasuring skills left much to be desired as well. Hiatha first had her pleasure Garas with her mouth, and even allowed her to use more than just her tongue. Her performance was very dull and unimaginative, not much better than a first-day Trainee, and she let far too much of Garas' seed for Hiatha's liking leak from around her lips when he reached orgasm.

Hiatha stepped forward and sighed. "Surely you can do better than that."

Yanna paused as her Trainer helped clean her face. "I'm sorry, mistress," Yanna said in a somber voice, her eyes downcast.

Hiatha looked up, her attention momentarily distracted. Near the other side of the circle, Sirinna knelt in the grass before one of the older male slaves. A small smile played at his lips as his cock slid in and out of Sirinna's mouth. Between Sirinna's parted legs, a female slave was busily stroking her pussy, driving her again to the unbearable edge of an orgasm that stayed out of reach.

"Yanna, Look over to Sirinna."

Yanna blinked and looked up.

"Now watch her."

Sirinna's body trembled with frustrated denial, yet her mouth continued to work at the other slave's cock. She drew it in and out slowly and sensuously, pausing to turn her head and stroke the underside with her tongue. She licked him from between his balls slowly up to his head, and lapped at the sensitive spot just behind the head before taking him back inside. She quickened her pace, sending him upwards slowly but surely.

"She's being punished," Hiatha explained. "She's going mad not being able to cum. Yet look how she pleasures him. All her concentration is on it."

"Yes, mistress," Yanna said tonelessly.

"That is how I expect a well-trained slave to behave. Now, let's try this again..."

Amanda tried to return to bed. She was still rather tired, not having had enough sleep the night before. When she tried to lay herself down on her bed, however, her mind raced too fast and her stomach churned to much for sleep to come to her.

She restlessly paced about the quarters, and when this became too confining to her, she donned her gown and headed outside. The heat hit her at once, making her briefly consider leaving her gown, but she quickly decided against it. Going about nude had lost whatever small appeal it had had for her, and the day was not nearly as humid as it had been anyway.

Amanda considered going to the Circle, but could not bring herself to see Sirinna. Not yet, not as agitated as she was feeling at that moment.

To Amanda, it felt as if she were back in time, waiting in the house with the storm threatening and her father nowhere to be found. She felt just as helpless and just as alone. Everyone she could turn to was lost to her. Sirinna was being punished. Yanna was being trained. Vanlo still seemed too aloof to her. There was no one to tell her what to do. There was no one to tell her what she should believe, or who she should believe.

Amanda was also having second doubts about Yanna's plan. And her story.

She wanted to believe Yanna. She wanted to believe that Rennis was indeed a "kinder and gentler" Overlord. Surely if he were as compassionate with Sirinna during her deflowering as she wanted Amanda to believe, what Yanna said could make sense, but only if the rest of Yanna's story were true.

Amanda wandered the gardens, all the while making nervous glances towards the trees in the distance that enclosed the Circle.

Yanna had told her she would speak with Rennis again that day, or "Farview" to him, assuming Yanna was not making that up as she had suspected at first. Yanna had told her specifically to come during the afternoon. But that would be after Yanna had spoken with him. Amanda wanted to see for herself. She wanted to talk to Rennis herself. She would have to catch Yanna before she started Farviewing, and make her let Amanda speak to him herself. If Rennis really wanted to have Sirinna back that badly, surely he would not mind.

Amanda turned, and started towards the Circle.

Yanna did not improve one bit as the morning wore on.

Hiatha tried her with another male, and then two females, and in each case, Yanna's performance was no better than a native Narlassi with more hormones than brains. Finally, Hiatha grew frustrated enough to pull her up onto her feet and take her off to the side.

"Yanna, what is the matter with you today?" Hiatha said in a voice that was both annoyed and concerned. "You did better than this yesterday."

Yanna let go with a long, exhausted sigh. "I'm very tired, mistress," she said in a hollow voice.

"Did you not sleep last night?"

"I was very restless, mistress," Yanna said, her gaze dropping. "I... I was quite ashamed."

Hiatha raised an eyebrow. "Ashamed?"

Yanna swallowed. "Yes, mistress. Of... o-of what I did. What I became."

Hiatha cupped her fingers under Yanna's chin and lifted the slave's gaze to hers. A small smirk came to Hiatha's lips. "Well, Yanna, I misjudged you. There just may be hope for you yet."

"I need rest, mistress," Yanna said in a weak voice. "I can do better if I had a little more sleep."

Hiatha paused, and then nodded slowly. "Very well. I can excuse you from training for the afternoon."

"If I may ask, mistress, may I be allowed to rest during the midday meal? I am not very hungry."

Hiatha considered for a long moment. "You really ought to eat something."

"I just need sleep, mistress. Please."

"Well, all right. I'll save a little for you from the meal. But after you have had your rest, I will be expecting much more from you than what I saw today."

"Yes, mistress," Yanna said with a small smile. "Thank you, mistress."

Amanda quickly grew so frustrated she wanted to scream, both at herself and the situation.

She visited the Circle several times that morning. Each time she saw Yanna in training and Sirinna in punishment. Neither looked ready to stop anytime soon, and the intensity of the sexual activity flustered her so badly she had to leave out of embarrassment. She had hoped she had grown inured to seeing such things, but her worry and anxiety made it impossible for her to exercise any willpower. She felt like she was wandering on the set of a porno movie.

She wasn't even sure what she was looking for. She knew Yanna had to be alone in order to Farview without rousing suspicions. She thought perhaps she would find a way to have Hiatha let her go off by herself, realizing only now that this was a dumb idea on her part. Yanna was a Trainee. Sirinna said they never were allowed to be unescorted.

Unless Hiatha was in on it somehow? No, then she wouldn't have needed the unlocking spell.

What if she used the unlocking spell in the Circle? No, not in front of everyone else.

What if when Hiatha had taken her away to use the sanitary she already Farviewed with Rennis and Amanda had missed it? That was the most frustrating thought of all, which made her want to chastise herself for not being able to better stomach watching the others.

On her final visit, Amanda thought she might have stumbled onto something when she saw Hiatha leading her two Trainees away, until she saw Sirinna sitting on the grass, beckoning for Amanda to come to her. Amanda glanced up at the high midday sun, and realized that the morning had slipped away from her. It was the start of the midday meal.

Amanda dropped into the grass beside Sirinna with a sigh of total defeat.

"Something the matter, love?" Sirinna asked.

Amanda turned, her eyes darting over Sirinna's body. Her eyes looked tired and pained. Her shoulders were tensed, and she sat slightly hunched over. "I might ask you the same thing. Are you all right?"

"Spending much of a morning never reaching orgasm is not very much fun, that's all."

Amanda felt guilty for thinking of her own problems. "I'm sorry," she said in a more contrite voice. "I tried to visit you, but..."

Sirinna smiled tenderly and stroked Amanda's arm with her fingertips. "I saw you. Thank you."

"I thought you'd be upset that I couldn't stay and watch for very long."

"I'd prefer you didn't enjoy watching me be punished, if it's all the same to you."

Amanda managed a small smile. Hearing that had made her feel a little better.

Few more words passed between them as the other others arrived for the meal. Sirinna seemed to be content with just being in Amanda's presence, even though Amanda's mind was on everything but the meal. She glanced up briefly as she saw Hiatha return with Garas in tow, the two of them taking their usual place just across the Circle from Sirinna and Amanda. Very soon after, the serving slaves brought food and drink.

So used to seeing Hiatha and Garas together in the Circle at the midday meal that it was not until Amanda started eating that it finally dawned on her. Yanna was missing.

Amanda jerked her head up and from side to side, scanning the entire clearing. Yanna was nowhere to be found.

Sirinna looked at Amanda curiously. "Amanda? What's the matter?"

"Sirinna, this is going to sound like a strange question, but... do you see Yanna anywhere?"

Sirinna looked immediately over to Hiatha. "If she would be anywhere, it would be with her Trainer."

"But she's not!"

"Yes, I just noticed that. She must be back in Hiatha's quarters."

Amanda's eyes widened. "Why would she be back there?"

"To sleep, I imagine. I noticed she was looking terribly exhausted when I saw her training earlier."

Amanda's mind raced. Yanna was back at Hiatha's quarters. Alone. Everyone in the Manor would be at the Circle.

Sirinna gave Amanda an odd look. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine! I, uh, have to use the sanitary!" Amanda bolted up and fled the Circle before Sirinna could say another word to her.

A few seconds, a click, and Yanna was again free of her collar.

She was going to be very glad to rid herself of the infernal thing once and for all that night. She had no intention of staying in the Manor once she delivered Sirinna to her master. With that little trinket, Yanna would buy her freedom from her true master as well as his pretenders.

Yanna moved quickly. She had only the time that the midday meal afforded her, and she was sure her master was impatient to speak with her. She bolted out of bed and reached around outside her window, pulling the shutters closed and latching them. She then sprinted out of her bedchamber and out of the quarters proper, emerging into bright sunlight.