Chapter 12

The merchants arrived at the Manor at dawn to little fanfare. To them, this was business as usual. Yes, there was the anticipation of additional riches from the affluent Overlords that would arrive the next day, and the usual excitement that accompanied the prospect of female companionship, as it did at any Manor they visited.

The merchants dutifully set up their tents and their wares alongside the wide road just outside the gates of the Manor.

Only once the sun had risen did the Overlord open the gates to allow Clan Leader Uridon within. The other merchants would remain outside the Manor until the usual pleasantries were exchanged between the two men. In the meantime, they would occupy themselves in smaller deals with the peasant families that worked the lands around the Manor as they flocked to the merchants' bazaar.

"It is very good to see you again, Uridon," Roquan said as he led the Clan Leader into his quarters. He gestured before him. "And I am sure you have already seen Rennis in your travels."

"Good day to you, Clan Leader," Rennis said with a small smile as he lifted a goblet.

Uridon smiled at the two Overlords, nodding his head once in respect. Roquan swiftly picked up a goblet he had already prepared for the moment and transferred it to Uridon's hands. "I should be the one that is happy to see you, Overlord. It is your Conclave that will help my Clan see a nice profit this season. I thank you for that."

Roquan hesitated to call this "his" Conclave, but he accepted the compliment at face value and simply nodded in acknowledgment. He glanced briefly at Rennis, who gave him a significant look. "As is custom," Roquan began, placing a faint emphasis on the word, "I offer your men shelter among my slaves and any services you may see fit to request of them."

Uridon did note the stiffness of the Overlord's voice, but it mattered not to him. He was glad that the offer had indeed been extended this time. The past few seasons, it had been withheld, and only the Clan Leader allowed the privilege. Uridon never spoke ill of the Overlord, but it was obvious that his Clan had resented that treatment.

"Ah, my Clan will be quite pleased at this, I am sure."

"I do ask that your Clan restrain themselves when walking about the Manor, naturally."

Rennis took a sip of his wine to hide a sigh.

Uridon did not allow himself to react to what otherwise could be considered a veiled insult. Like Rennis, he knew the Overlord long enough to know that Roquan was merely being cautious. At the same time, he did tense slightly, and Rennis noted this silently to himself. "This goes without saying, of course," the Clan Leader responded, putting just the slightest edge to his voice.

This time, Roquan managed to perceive his error. "My apologies. My only excuse is that I have been very busy of late with preparations for this Conclave, and I fear it has affected my manners."

Now Uridon could not hide his surprise at hearing this. "Why... perfectly understandable, your Lordship."

Roquan nodded. "At any rate, consider yourself and your Clan most welcome at the D'ronstaq Manor."

Uridon smiled. That concluded the formal protocol. Now, business could be conducted.

"When your scout visited the Manor, I had made a special request known to him. Were you able to make any progress in this?"

Rennis paused with the goblet almost to his lips. He had not been privy to this, and he looked on with wary interest.

Uridon beamed as he reached into his tunic and withdrew several blue pearls. "Would this be what you are looking for, Overlord?"

Roquan could barely disguise the surprise in his eyes, or the amazement in his voice. "You were able to fulfill my request?"

"If what you requested were weather wards and protections, then this is indeed what I bring you."

The Clan Leader offered the pearls. After an initial hesitation, Roquan extended a hand and let them drop into it. He glanced down at them, picking one up and inspecting it. "This is quite remarkable, Uridon. I am most impressed with your procurement skills."

"To be fair, your Lordship, it was not I, but a traveling merchant that we are accommodating who managed this feat."

"Then I am quite in his debt. And may I ask exactly what that debt will come to?"

Uridon grinned. That was the Roquan he knew. The bottom line, please, and do not mince words or attempt to negotiate. Give me your price now. "Two thousand, and a stipulation."

Rennis balked. "Two thousand platinum? For a service that the Mage Guild would provide for..."

Roquan gave his friend a sharp look. "We will discuss that later, Rennis. I have a reason for doing this."

"It was my understanding, Overlord, that you specifically wished no ties to the Mage Guild," Uridon commented. Unlike Roquan, he was not concerned with what got discussed now or later. "And that is also indeed what you have. I have checked them myself. They bear no indication that the Oceanus Mage Guild enchanted these."

This answered only part of Rennis' question, but now he could guess the rest. He, too, was still irritated at Q'yros and what he had done to Roquan's Portal. Yet he did not believe that the entirety of the Guild could not be trusted. He wondered if this were not a bit of the same paranoia that Roquan so often accused the Emperor of possessing.

Mostly, however, he was concerned with the dent this would make in Roquan's finances. Two thousand was no longer a paltry sum anymore.

"I can agree to the two thousand, if that is your best price."

"It is. I can go no lower than that, considering what these are worth."

"Very well. However, you mentioned a stipulation."

Uridon paused to take a long sip of his wine. "Yes. It is part of the deal I have worked out for these pearls from our foreign merchant. He wishes my pick from among your slaves."

Roquan visibly blanched at this, and there was noticeable coolness in his voice when he spoke. "Your pick? I did not realize that was something that could be traded in the first place."

"When you are a merchant, your Lordship, you find that everything can be traded, and everything has a price. And what I offer you is indeed the price for these pearls."

Roquan's lips drew to a thin line. He exchanged a look with Rennis, but Rennis simply shrugged and shook his head as if to say, "This is your deal, don't involve me in this."

"Naturally, I will expect to have some say as to the scope of his selections," Roquan said tonelessly.

Uridon gave the Overlord a sly smile. "For someone who claims to be from foreign lands, his knowledge of what, ah, commodities in Oceanus are of high value is extensive. Or at least where your slaves are concerned."

And with that statement, both Overlords knew whom the merchant would pick.

Rennis had to smirk at this. He also felt a touch of pride. Sirinna had originally been his slave, and he had deflowered and trained her himself.

Roquan glanced at the pearls in his hand and sighed through his nose in annoyance. He hated being put on the spot like this. He felt he had already had enough of this with regards to the Conclave. Now he was getting it from this merchant as well. "Understand that we have had an... incident of late involving Sirinna."

Uridon raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Rennis gave Roquan a wary look.

"I am not at liberty to discuss the details. But it does mean I must ask if you can guarantee this man's trustworthiness."

"He has given me no cause for suspicion or concern, your Lordship."

"You stated he was from abroad. He is not Urisi, is he?"

"Oh, no, not at all," Uridon said quickly. Roquan's reticence to deal with the Urisi was well known among the Ne'land Clan. It was a merchant's business to know exactly what his patron's likes and dislikes were. "I would never have agreed to the deal in such a case."

Roquan gave the Clan Leader a hard look. It was obvious he was not convinced.

"I give you the same assurance that I do with members of my own Clan, Overlord. I will vouch for their behavior, and I will take full responsibility if they do not conduct themselves properly." He paused. "And you always have the option of refusing the deal."

"Sirinna is quite experienced, as you know," Rennis commented. "She has handled problem clients before in the past. Perhaps as well as she has handled, say, problem Trainees?"

Roquan blinked at this rather backhanded rebuke. Rennis simply grinned back.

Uridon tended to agree with Rennis' assessment. Even in past times, when Roquan had the right to assign him his slave, Uridon had managed to sway the Overlord into letting him have Sirinna. Thus he could vouch for how experienced the woman was.

Roquan looked back at Uridon. "Done."

Uridon smiled broadly. "Excellent, your Lordship. Feel free to pay me any time before the Clan leaves. I will inform Jollis that he may be quartered with Sirinna."

The Clan Leader drained the rest of his goblet and set it down. He gave a respectful half-bow to the Overlords before quickly exiting the chamber.

Rennis quietly sipped his wine. Roquan's fingers closed around the pearls. "I know what you are thinking, Rennis."

"Who, me? I'm thinking of nothing."

"Like hellfire you are."

Rennis paused and sighed. He set his goblet down. "What deals you conduct are your own business, Roquan. Just remember that you may need considerable resources to sway the other Overlords to your side."

"And you continue to insist that we will need to 'purchase' their support."

"I can almost guarantee that Gronnus is doing just that."

"And Freya as well?"

"They are traveling together across the island as we speak. What do you think?"

What Roquan thought was that he was in over his head. It was not something he willingly admitted to himself, and he dared not admit it openly. Yet it was becoming abundantly clear to him that he was foundering. He had no idea how to achieve an edge in this. He was going to be forced to deal with Overlords that would make their own deals out of sight of him.

Roquan knew how to negotiate with clients. He knew how to compete with other Overlords. He knew nothing of the ruthless deal-making that went on between Overlords. He had no experience in anticipating what an Overlord might want so he can outbid another without even knowing what the original deal was. He knew nothing of sizing up another Overlord and exploiting his weaknesses.

He could only hope that Doran would offer him some insight when he arrived in a day's time. If not, he faced the possibility that he would have to sway them on his words alone. It was clear to him that this would never be enough.

"Here, love, I'm done."

Sirinna turned the platter around so Amanda could get at her favorites along the edge. Amanda nodded in acknowledgment and tucked into her breakfast rather ardently. She had been too nervous enough the day before to eat much for dinner before being brought to Roquan.

Sirinna beamed at her Trainee. Amanda noticed this and looked up. "Yes, mistress?"

"I was just thinking how proud I am of you, that's all."

Amanda paused a moment, then smiled slightly. "Thank you, mistress."

"I believe Master Roquan was quite pleased with you last night."

Amanda honestly was not sure. Sexually, certainly. In fact, she was rather astonished at her prowess herself. "I hope he was."

Sirinna tilted her head to one side. "Are you concerned about something, love?"

Amanda hesitated. "Maybe just about everything that's happening. The merchants today. The Conclave. All that."

She didn't feel she could tell Sirinna was was really on her mind. She was burning with curiosity as to why Roquan made her keep that secret. He was so concerned about it that she was not sure it was safe to mention it to Sirinna, even though Sirinna already knew she never had the Draught. Had Sirinna been told to keep it a secret as well? Or was it something that Roquan simply assumed because she was so loyal to him?

Amanda did not feel it was worth the risk of punishment to broach the subject.

Sirinna caressed Amanda's cheek. "You'll do just fine, I'm sure."

"You always say that to me. How can you be any more sure of that now than before?"

Sirinna thought that an odd comment to make and was momentarily nonplussed. "I guess I don't understand."

"I'm doing well only because I have a goal. I want to get through this Presenting. When that's done, what will motivate me then?"

Sirinna had no immediate answer for that. It distressed her to think that Amanda would somehow backslide just because the Conclave had come and gone. She had not wanted to think too hard on Amanda's real reasons for desiring to do well. She had hoped that Amanda had finally come around to the proper mindset.

Despite their feelings for each other, there was still something of a divide between them. Sirinna saw her life as something to be desired and sought. To her, being a good slave was a matter of pride, a great accomplishment. She was good because she wanted to be good. It was a very rewarding life for her. She loved giving pleasure and receiving it in return.

Thus it was only natural she would want this for Amanda. She loved Amanda fiercely, and making Amanda into as good a slave as herself was an expression of that love. She wanted Amanda to feel as rewarded and as proud as herself.

Amanda sighed. "I guess you've changed your opinion now, huh?"

"No, of course I haven't. Amanda, perhaps you're worried over nothing."

Amanda remained silent, slowly chewing a piece of fruit, her eyes lowering.

"Or maybe you're just being too hard on yourself."

Amanda's gaze snapped back up. "What?"

"You've been doing very well. You've done everything that's been asked of you. You've even shown enthusiasm doing it."

Amanda paused to swallow. "I have?"

Sirinna grinned. "Surprised to hear that?"

"Well, I... I mean, of course I was. I was trying to be what I'm supposed to be."

"Maybe it's a little more than that."

Amanda looked confused.

"When you were attending to Master Roquan last night, were you doing it just out of your duty to him as a slave?"

"Well, I had to do it. I couldn't say no."

"That's not what I asked."

Amanda's brow furrowed in thought. It had been a duty for her. That was what she was supposed to do. She didn't understand where Sirinna was coming from on this.

"Let me put it this way," Sirinna said when she noticed her lover's bewildered expression. "Did you enjoy it?"

Amanda's cheeks grew pink. "I could hardly not enjoy it, mistress, as wet as he made me," she said in a husky voice.

"And what about when you took him in your mouth?"

Her blush deepened. She remembered how excited the noises of his pleasure made her. "Um... maybe I did."

Sirinna grinned.

"Okay, I enjoyed it. I guess I wasn't sure whether that automatically meant I was enjoying being a slave."

"That may be where you are being too hard on yourself."

Amanda blinked in surprise at this.

Could Sirinna be right? Could she have actually started to enjoy herself at this? She wasn't sure she wanted to admit this to herself. Perhaps it was better to say she had become comfortable with it, at least among the other slaves. She was not at all looking forward to the Conclave and having to face the other Overlords.