Chapter 1

"Time to wake up, Amanda."

The black-haired girl did not respond until the summons was repeated, this time with a gentle nudge of a delicate hand against one shoulder. She groaned and made a face, her eyes still closed, and tried to snuggle further down into the furs on the bed.

Another nudge, more insistent this time, though the voice was no less gentle. "It's morning, love. You have a big day ahead of you."

Amanda finally stirred, but only to mumble something about "five more minutes." She rolled over, the chain that ran from the back of her leather collar clinking softly.

By the side of the young fourteen-year-old's bed, a woman rose to her feet with a tender smile on her face. Her lithe, nude body moved with ease as she strolled around the foot of the bed. She passed the wooden post that rose from the center of the floor, the end of the chain attached to it with a small padlock, and headed towards the window.

Sirinna rolled up the shade, allowing the brightness of the clear tropical skies into the room, as well as the gentle roar of the ocean against the shore. A breeze blew at the woman's silvery-blond hair.

On the bed, Amanda groaned again and made a face as the light prevented her from drifting back to sleep. Her eyes flickered open and squinted at the morning light as she slowly sat up in bed. The covers fell away from her body, her round but petite breasts bouncing lightly against her chest.

The chain caught under her body and gave the collar around her neck a sharp tug. This jolted Amanda to full wakefulness. Her hand fluttered at her neck for a moment as her mind struggled to catch up with the events that had happened just the day before.

Sirinna smiled tenderly at the girl as she approached the bed. "Time to get up, love. I have breakfast for us in my bedchamber."

Amanda blinked a few more times in an attempt to throw off the last vestiges of sleep. It had taken her quite awhile to finally fall asleep the night before, and she was still a little groggy. She again reached up to her neck and felt the collar with her fingers, heaving a slow sigh. "I really did it, didn't I?" she asked in a small voice.

Sirinna's smile faded just a touch, her face taking on a note of concern. She stepped over to the post and grasped the padlock in her fingers. The enchantment upon it, recognizing her as a Trainer, dutifully released the lock and allowed her to take the end of the chain in her hand. "It's normal to have some second thoughts the morning after."

Amanda threw the covers off, the rest of her body as naked as her breasts. As she swung her legs over the side, Sirinna took up some of the slack of the chain in her hands, pulling the rest of it out from under the blanket.

Amanda looked up at the woman that was her lover, and who was now her Trainer as well. "No, not really second thoughts."

Sirinna noticed the subdued tone in her new Trainee's voice. "You sure?"

Amanda paused, then nodded silently.

What had been her alternative? If she had not submitted to the collar and committed herself to being trained as a slave, she would have been sent back to Earth. Back to a foster care system that didn't give a damn about her, and to a life without Sirinna, the one she loved.

"Nervous?" Sirinna asked.

Amanda remembered what was in store for her that morning and nodded again.

Sirinna lay a hand against one of Amanda's cheeks. Amanda looked up and gave the woman a wan smile and sighed. "I'll be all right, Sirinna."

Sirinna's smile turned into a wry grin. "Did you forget already?"

Amanda stared in confusion.

"My title."

"You mean I have to call you that in private, too?"

"Those are the rules, Amanda. All Trainees have to use the proper titles of respect."

Amanda was about to roll her eyes but caught herself. "I know I'm going to forget that a lot."

"That's what this is for." Sirinna extended the chain and gave it a quick snap, which made the collar tug against Amanda's neck. "That's the usual reminder that the Trainee has forgotten something. Remember that from last night?"

"Just barely."

"It's all right. You're allowed some time to get used to the rules." Sirinna paused a moment. In a more somber tone of voice she added, "And a lot did happen yesterday, so I understand."

Amanda thought that was a vast understatement. Sirinna had almost been kidnapped back to the palace of someone named Z'haas, who she assumed was the ruler of Oceanus. At least this is what she had gleaned from the fact that Roquan had called him "Emperor". Then when Amanda had managed to stop this, Sirinna had almost died from the overdose of sleeping powder the Imperial agent had given her.

Amanda bristled at the thought. Yanna had been the one she thought she could trust. Of all the slaves Amanda had met, she had been the one person that appeared to understand Amanda's reluctance. Instead of making a new friend, it had turned out to be just another case of someone wanting something from her.

And now Amanda was consigned to the life of a slave. Things had happened almost too fast for her to comprehend.

"Are you all right, Amanda? "

Amanda was not sure when things would ever be all right again, but she nodded anyway. "Yes, Sirinna."

Sirinna gave her a significant look, and the chain another snap.

Amanda sighed. "Yes, mistress."

Sirinna coaxed Amanda to her feet. "It will be all right. Here, you'll feel better with something to eat."

Amanda was not sure how much of an appetite she had, but she knew she had to have something. With what she would face soon after, she was going to need all of her strength, both physically and emotionally.

She let her eyes wander as Sirinna led her from the circular bedchamber. Her chamber, like most everything else in the D'ronstaq Manor, was built for the tropics. Equally spaced wooden poles formed the frame, thatch-like material spanning them to form the walls. The window was open to the air, and the floor was elevated from the sandy ground by a few feet. Everything was designed to allow the place to "breathe" as much as possible, sheltering it from the worst of the heat. Ocean breezes helped cool it off at night.

She knew she better get used to it, since it was going to be her home for a long time.

They headed through the curtained doorway that connected Amanda's chamber with Sirinna's. Just as if she were already a full-fledged slave contracted to a client, she could come and go only through her mistress' living space. As she was a Trainee anyway, she would not be traveling anywhere by herself any longer, anyway.

Amanda could still feel the collar about her neck, a collar that would not come off until she "graduated". She could feel it pressing against her skin. Despite the fact that it was loose enough to turn easily as Sirinna manipulated the chain, it still felt tight against her neck. She wondered how long it would take her to no longer notice it was there.

A large metal platter sat in the center of Sirinna's bed, filled with cut pieces of fresh fruit and chunks of bread. Despite her initial lack of appetite, Amanda found the smell of the bread enticing. She had hardly eaten anything the night before, as nervous as she had been facing the events that had later transpired and brought her to this point.

Amanda glanced forlornly at the white gown that lay folded off to the side. Now that she was a Trainee, she'd never be wearing that again. It was one of the many rules that Sirinna had explained to her an excited rush the night before, though she had already known this particular one: Trainees must remain naked at all times.

The two of them settled down on either side of the platter, but when Amanda reached to take a piece of fruit, Sirinna gently lay her hand atop Amanda's and stopped her.

Amanda looked up curiously.

"Remember the rule?" Sirinna asked gently.

This time, Amanda could not stop herself, and she rolled her eyes. "Trainer eats first," she said in a low voice.

Sirinna smiled easily. "Don't worry, I'll know which ones you like. I'll leave you your favorites."

"Fine." There was a sullen tone to Amanda's voice.

Sirinna gave her Trainee a softly admonishing look.

"I'm sorry, Siri... mistress... I'm just really nervous about... about the..."

Amanda couldn't get herself to say it. Sirinna finished a piece of fruit before completing the thought for her. "Deflowering?"

Amanda swallowed and nodded, a frightened look in her eyes.

"Master Roquan is very delicate about these things, Amanda. He'll take it easy with you."

"Will you be there, Si... mistress? Will you be staying for it?"

Sirinna shook her head. "No, this is between you and Master Roquan."

"I-I'm not sure I can do it alone."

Sirinna set down the end of the chain and grasped one of Amanda's hands, squeezing it gently. Amanda glanced down first at the chain and then Sirinna's hand, and her lips curled into a small smile. The simple affectionate touch helped reassure her that perhaps Sirinna was not always going to be just her Trainer. The very reason Amanda chose to stay was because of the strong feelings they had for each other, and it was harder to see this when Sirinna was holding her chain.

"Please trust me, Amanda," Sirinna said softly. "It will be okay."

"I'll try. But... "

"Yes?"

"Do I really have to call you 'mistress' all the time? Can't you just be 'Sirinna' sometimes? Just for a little while, like in the evenings or something? Please?"

Sirinna uttered a small, soft sigh, her gaze troubled as it fell on Amanda's pleading face. What Amanda was asking was completely against the rules. Yet everything Sirinna had done that brought Amanda here in the first place was technically against the rules, something for which Roquan would likely remind her for some time to come.

Amanda sensed the hesitation and pressed further. "I mean... we'll still have time together, right? Just like we did before all this happened? You said you still cared for me."

Sirinna smiled. She had to remind herself that Amanda was unique among all the other slaves she had trained. Not just that Amanda was her lover, but that the girl had never had the Draught of Forgetfulness that all Captives had before being collared. She remembered her past, and her own ways of expressing her need.

And, truth be told, Sirinna had her own needs as well. She could not go long without the ability to openly express her love for Amanda any more than Amanda could.

"Yes, I do care for you, Amanda, very deeply." Sirinna's fingers tightened around Amanda's. "All right. Late evenings before going to bed will be our time together. You won't have to use my title then."

Amanda allowed herself to smile. Having that to look forward to would make the rest of the day at least bearable to her.

Despite his greater need for sleep in his advanced age, the Master Healer of the D'ronstaq Manor was already at work before Amanda had been roused from her slumber. It was precisely because of Amanda he was once again hard at work when his body demanded rest.

Just outside his lab, the first rays of morning sunlight were diffusing through the smoky skylights in the treatment room when Vanlo G'tort finally finished his work. He withdrew the flask from the end of the apparatus, straightening his tall, thin frame and stroking his long beard thoughtfully. His crinkly eyes critically examined the slightly frothy fluid in the flask. He shook it gently, breaking up some of the foam.

"Hmm. Well, well. I have not forgotten after all."

Vanlo smiled to himself with a twinkle in one eye as he lowered the flask and turned from the table. It was only after his aging eyes scanned the room and reminded him that he was quite alone that his smile faded. He uttered a small sigh.

It had been less than a day, and Vanlo already missed Yanna. Despite the fact that the woman had been only pretending at being a slave, he felt her absence. While he was past the age for sexual escapades, he had valued her companionship and sensuality. The fact that it had been an act put on to destroy the alliance between Roquan and his fellow Overlord and friend Rennis, not to mention an attempt to take Sirinna from the Manor, did not detract from the fact that he had enjoyed her company.

Vanlo took a deep breath and let it go, and wondered if he might impose upon the Overlord to give him another slave for his use. He doubted, however, that Roquan had another as skilled at the Healing arts as Yanna had been.

"Alas," Vanlo lamented to no one in particular.

The Healer stoppered the flask securely with a piece of cork and headed out through the treatment room and reception area, and into the now bright sunlight of dawn.

The coolness of the night had already evaporated in the spreading heat of morning. A cloudless sky was a sure sign that it was going to be hot, as the march of days carried the Manor further into summer. Already the air was growing moist with humidity drifting in from the ocean.

Vanlo self-consciously examined the potion he had concocted even as he walked down the sandy path, the warmth radiating through his shoes. It had been some time since Roquan had a new Trainee, so he had not had much opportunity to make this particular potion. When the Overlord had informed him that Amanda had chosen to stay in Narlass, it had come as something of a surprise to the Healer.

But then again, the idea of giving an outworlder an actual choice in the matter was unprecedented to begin with.

As Vanlo turned down the wider path that curved around the north end of the Manor, he smiled and nodded his head in simple greeting to the slaves that he passed. Most that he encountered were female, if for no other reason than most of Overlord Roquan's clients desired females. Most were also nude, and Vanlo still delighted in the appearance of the young, female form despite his advanced age.

Many of the more experienced slaves were glancing at the flask he held with interest, as they knew exactly what it contained and what it meant. Slaves were a gossipy lot, Vanlo mused, when left to their own devices between contracts. By the time Amanda was ready to be taken to the Overlord for her deflowering, the entire Manor would know there was a new Trainee among them.

Vanlo hastened his step, despite his joints still sore from the excitement of the day before. He wanted to make sure the Overlord needed nothing further from him that morning.

The Healer did not announce himself when he came to the door to the Overlord's residence, as he knew he would be expected. Yet as he opened the door and stepped inside, the voice that boomed at him made him rethink his forwardness.

"Blazing hellfires, Roquan! You are not telling me that Rennis' preposterous story is actually true?!"

It was most decidedly not Roquan's even, calm tones that came to Vanlo's ears. Even on the rare occasions that the Overlord did raise his voice (which had happened with increased frequency the past few days, the Healer recalled ruefully), it was not as strident and blustering as this voice was.

Vanlo paused for a moment, halfway across the threshold, as his eyes beheld the scene in front of him.

This was the outer chamber of Roquan's quarters. Since it was often used as a reception area, its construction was more permanent and impressive, largely solid wood with stone accents. Magical enchantments helped maintain the flow of air through the structure. The floor was covered in soft furs, and on the other side of the room was the curtained doorway to the inner chamber.

The Overlord, Roquan D'ronstaq, was standing before the hearth of the fireplace. Made of decorative stone, its purpose was largely for mood rather than heat, save for the coolest nights during the winter season. Yet it served one additional purpose well, and that was as a reception area to grant a Farviewing audience.

The other Overlord, which was the source of the indignant shout that Vanlo had heard, stood as a shimmering form upon the hearth, facing Roquan. Like Roquan, the other Overlord was strong of build and imposing in form. The similarities ended there. Roquan stood with relative calm and equanimity, his blue-gray eyes like cool steel, his dark brown hair streaked with bits of silver. The other was quite agitated, his eyes wide and wild, his hair having gone mostly gray.

"And why would Rennis concoct such a story, Doran?" Roquan inquired. His voice had a definite edge to it despite the calm manner in which the Overlord delivered his response. From the flowing satin robe he wore, it was obvious to Vanlo that the Overlord was in the midst of preparations for Amanda's deflowering when the audience occurred.

It was further obvious from the lack of a glowing blue pearl at the feet of the shimmering form that it had been the other Overlord that had summoned Roquan. Upon making this realization, Vanlo began to silently excuse himself.

Roquan, having caught sight of the Healer from the corner of his eye, gestured urgently and silently, without taking his eyes from the other Overlord. Vanlo paused, then stepped further inside and closed the door quietly behind him.

Overlord Doran D'jorus uttered a great snort and leaned back, part of his image fading into the fireplace. "He would have me believe that Emperor Z'haas concocted this ludicrous plan simply to discredit you!" he thundered.

"Not just that, Doran. He also nearly deprived me of my best Trainer."

"But for what possible purpose, Roquan?"

"To train his own slaves."

"That is ridiculous! Why would he do such a thing?"

Roquan bristled, his voice raising just one notch. Vanlo's past experience told him this was generally enough. "Think, Doran. He had already infiltrated an Overlord Manor with one agent disguised as a slave. Think if he had been successful in his plans, and he had more slaves to use for his purposes!"

Doran's face was faintly red with fury. "Great gods... the Emperor, training his own slaves!"

Roquan sighed softly. He hated to think that Sirinna would have actually done it had Amanda not disrupted Yanna's plans. Yet if Amanda had gone through as well, and the Emperor had both of them, he might very well have tried to trade Amanda's safety for Sirinna's loyalty.

For the third time now that morning, he doubted the wisdom of granting Sirinna's request to train Amanda herself. Sirinna may indeed be too close to the girl, despite her claims to the contrary. It was Sirinna's unfortunate propensity for forming attachments when she shouldn't that had brought Amanda into this world in the first place.

"Yes, Doran, training his own slaves." Roquan folded his arms and fixed his steely gaze on the other Overlord. "Rennis is not one for making up stories. And I am even less so, and yet I am corroborating his story. Z'haas did send an Imperial Agent into our midst; he did attempt to sow disobedience amongst my slaves; he did attempt to shatter the alliance between myself and Rennis D'glounaas; and he did attempt to abduct my best Trainer."

Doran was utterly aghast. Vanlo allowed himself a satisfactory smile. Doran D'jorus was, when he was not so agitated, one of the most well-spoken and persuasive of the Overlords of the nation of Oceanus. To have him on Roquan's side would be priceless. It was obvious that Rennis had been counting on this when he had informed Doran of the events that had transpired recently at the D'ronstaq Manor.

"An Emperor training slaves! Unheard of! Unnatural! A perversion of the highest order!"

Roquan narrowed his eyes, and his voice became ice. "And I would like you to inform me, Doran, that you and the other Overlords truly had no idea of the Emperor's treachery."

Doran's eyes became saucers. "What? Are you mad?!"

"Any more so than you and the others were when they influenced the Emperor into canceling the trade agreement with Colos? And cutting off my only route to the Far West markets?"

Vanlo stroked his beard thoughtfully. Now this was a little detail he had not known. The Healer felt privileged that the Overlord was allowing him to be privy to it. Privileged, and a little concerned as well. The more one knew about such things, the more one tended to be pulled into the events that surrounded them. As if he had not already had more excitement than he could handle.