Chapter 15

"My dear Gronnus, just what was that all about?"

Gronnus returned Freya's cool look with a level one of his own as the two of them stood on the path just outside the gazebo. "Why, whatever do you mean, Freya?"

"Do not play coy with me," she said, a warning tone edging into her voice. "You practically challenged Roquan to a final debate and vote right then and there."

"The other Overlords might have taken me up on it had not that windbag Doran droned on about tradition. What would he know about it!"

"You seem to misunderstand me, Gronnus, and that's a dangerous thing to do."

Gronnus gave Freya an indignant look. "I'm not accustomed to hearing threats from other Overlords."

"It wasn't a threat. It was a promise."

Gronnus said nothing in reply, but instead looked off into the distance, his face stony.

Freya was undeterred. "I do not want this Conclave to end anytime soon. Not until I have what I want."

"I warn you, Freya, I am not going to hold back. I am going to be attempting to sway as many Overlords to our -- excuse me, my -- side as possible."

"Nothing says you cannot do this, Gronnus. Just don't get any ideas in your head about calling for a vote quickly. Not unless you want me to have a change of heart."

Gronnus looked at Freya. "Change of heart? Can I take that to mean that..."

"That I support you?" Freya smirked. "Amazing as it sounds, yes, I do. Roquan is a fool. This has been and is now about that trade agreement and nothing more, even though he cleverly avoids mentioning it. Doran has coached him well on that score, at least."

"And his accusations about the Emperor?"

"The Emperor is indeed playing the part of an even bigger fool than Roquan. However, we shall set him right, as always. We don't need a coup for that."

Gronnus simply gave a small nod of acknowledgment. Sometimes knowing the hard truth was a detriment. Z'haas' actions still grated on him. He deserved to be usurped! Doran was right, in his own way. The Emperor was trampling on centuries of tradition. And yet, here he was supporting it, albeit indirectly. If he succeeded against Roquan, it would be a bitter victory.

He simply had to trust that it was indeed best for Oceanus.

"Now, enough of this," Freya said, pulling Gronnus closer and lowering her voice. "What of the Amanda girl?"

"I would say we will soon see for ourselves, won't we?" Gronnus said with a sly grin.

"That's not what I meant. What was your plan for her, before you shared your information with me?"

"I would simply exercise my right to have her after the Presenting. And encourage as many Overlords as possible to do the same. And as often as possible."

Freya's lips curled into a wicked smile. "So you did have the same idea I did."

"It stands to reason, Freya. A girl that is... as she is... cannot be trained properly. This would be the perfect way to plant the seed among the other Overlords about her."

Her smile faded slightly. "Or perhaps not."

Gronnus frowned at her. "What are you talking about?"

"You really believe that alone will allow the Overlords to leap to the conclusion you wish?"

"I didn't necessarily say that!" Gronnus growled. "But it would make my accusation along those lines more plausible!"

"And you seem to forget that I do not wish that to become an issue any further. It is better that only you and I know."

"Freya, be reasonable about this..."

"No, Gronnus, you are not the one to claim reason. You make such an accusation and manage to make it stick, and I lose my chance to acquire her. That would make me very unhappy. You do not wish me unhappy, now do you?"

She smiled sweetly at him.

Gronnus sighed. "No, I suppose not." He glanced down the path leading back into the Manor proper, just as Roquan and Amanda appeared in the distance. "So you do not wish to stick with the original plan?"

"Oh, no, we will have her, and will we get the others to have her," Freya said with a sly grin. "But I will make sure that I have her more than once."

Gronnus gaped at her. "But that is against tradition! No Overlord has the same Presentee more than once!"

Freya looked bored. "As much as Doran might like it to be, I am simply not such a slave to tradition as he is."

Gronnus sighed in exasperation. "All right, then, why you?"

"So I can make the 'startling revelation' about her and confront Roquan with it. I am sure I can get her to slip. Consider it the first step in breaking her. Oh, and Gronnus? Let me have her first."

"As long as no others claim her as well."

"They will not. I will make my interest in her very clear and they will back off."

Gronnus drew in a deep breath and let it go. He did not care to admit that she was likely quite correct in that assessment. They would indeed defer to her. He loathed Freya for using her gender to gain advantage.

"Come, let's get back inside," Freya said with a smirk. "The show it about to begin."

Amanda forced herself to breathe slowly and deeply as she walked before her Overlord up the path towards the bluff. It managed to keep her from trembling, but did little to stop her heart from pounding. She had to keep herself outwardly calm. Already Roquan had corrected her once just on the way here for clenching her hands behind her back.

Apparently, appearance was everything.

As they approached the end of the path, the top of the gazebo rising into view, Amanda lifted her eyes and fixed them forward. She tried her best to leave within them a look of passivity and calm. She must not show them any fear or willfulness in that gaze. She tried to relax the muscles in her neck and shoulders, so she would appear compliant and submissive.

When she reached the top of the bluff, and she saw the other Overlords for the first time, her composure threatened to unravel. Yet she managed not to hesitate, or betray her brief flicker of shock and panic.

As all eyes turned towards her, she realized a distressing truth. Standing naked before a group of fully clothed, powerful men was a vastly different experience from appearing naked before other naked slaves. The embarrassment she felt over such a thing her first day swept over her again, and her cheeks felt flushed.

She desperately tried to beat down the emotion. She could not let herself blush. Not in front of them. She ultimately avoided it but could not quell the slight quiver that rippled through her body, or the quickening of her breath.

She stepped into the meeting area, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the one anomaly in the room.

It was only now that Amanda was finally given pause. She found her gaze meeting that of Freya D'yros. The female Overlord was looking at her with a sly, secretive smile that made her shudder. The eyes were sultry and predatory. Amanda felt a vague sense of violation from it, and for that brief instant, the old feelings of defiance flashed in her eyes.

Roquan gave the chain just the barest of tugs, but Amanda was already averting her eyes from Freya. Rattled, Amanda let some of her composure slip. She swallowed and had to take a few deep breaths to get herself back into form.

"Stop," Roquan ordered as they reached the back of the room. "Turn."

Amanda took one last quick breath and swiftly turned to face the others.

The shock of all the eyes upon her at once again struck her. She fought it down once more and forced her shoulders to relax. She never felt this vulnerable in her life. She could not get out of her mind the fact that they were scrutinizing her, looking over every detail of her body, evaluating her. Perhaps even lusting after her now.

And then there was Freya. Her eyes seemed to track Amanda like those of a bird of prey, waiting for the right moment. Her lips were curled into a satisfied smile, as if she had spotted something she liked and intended to take. Amanda swallowed again, feeling herself wither under this scrutiny. She finally forced herself to avert her gaze once more.

Roquan removed her chain, but left her in restraints. He stepped back and turned to face the Overlords.

"This is my latest acquisition," Roquan said crisply. "Her name is Amanda. She was brought here from the world called Earth by Sirinna, who serves as her Trainer."

The interest of the Overlords appeared to redouble at the mention of Sirinna's name. Amanda felt the scrutiny intensify. Her hands clenched again behind her despite Roquan's previous warning.

"She has been in training for only two moons, but shows great promise," Roquan continued. "She has shown a great aptitude in pleasing her master sexually, and her obedience and loyalty are unquestioned."

Amanda was a little surprised to hear this praise, but then wondered if this was more like a pitch for a product than anything else. After all, she was essentially property. She belonged to Roquan. She could be sold if Roquan so wished it. That gave him the ultimate control over her. She had to be the good slave for him, or she could be sold to another that would attempt his own "correction" to her training.

"Amanda is also very intelligent, which some of you know I value highly in my slaves. She is also quite sensuous, and can be aroused by the paddle."

Now Amanda could not suppress the light blush that came to her cheeks. She should have expected that he would tell them this. She just had hoped it would not be stated so bluntly.

Roquan paused for a moment, and Amanda half-expected the next words from his mouth to be something along the lines of "What am I bid for her?"

Instead, he said, "I now invite your critique and commentary on my slave."

"Submissiveness, Roquan?"

Amanda's breath caught as her eyes darted over to the source of the voice.

"What of it, Freya?" Roquan asked evenly.

"You did not mention anything about it. Are we to assume this is a problem with her?" Her eyes flicked from the Overlord to the slave. "Even from here, I can see the willfulness in her eyes."

Amanda tried in vain to regain her composure.

"As I have said, she is but two moons into her training," Roquan said smoothly. "It is to be expected that certain things will take longer to train into her."

"I might remind you, Freya," Doran spoke up, "that it is customary to forgive the faults of the Trainee."

Rennis glanced over to Doran in surprise. It was unusual for him to speak out of turn like that. But from the expression on Doran's face, it was clear to Rennis that Doran likely had several frustrating encounters with her over the past moon while attempting to secure her support, and it was finally grating on him. Even he had his limits.

"Oh, most certainly, Doran. I can be quite forgiving of such faults," Freya purred. "If her other skills are up to par."

"After two moons, Freya?" Rennis commented lightly.

"I expect a basic level of competence after that time, yes, Rennis. I am sure it was that way with Sirinna when she was trained. When you used to have her, that is."

Rennis' jaw tightened.

Roquan was close to bristling at this woman as well, but managed to contain himself. Instead, he lapsed into an overly formal manner to show his displeasure with her. "Overlord Freya, I shall state that you will be satisfied with the performance of any of my slaves, Trainee or otherwise. Lest you forget how valued my slaves are in Oceanus."

Doran sighed and looked away. Roquan had been doing so well, and thanks to that insufferable female Overlord, he blew it.

Several of the other Overlords sneered at Roquan's statement. Now he was again in their eyes the upstart Overlord with barely any Clan lineage trying to show the others how to run their trade. The old resentments over the popularity of Roquan's slaves were again brought to the surface.

Roquan now realized this himself. Damn that woman, he thought vehemently.

Amanda sensed a change in tone as well, but did not know what to make of it. She simply remained where she was, and tried to quell the rising anxiety within her.

And Freya knew what had happened as well. Her smile widened. She had scored a victory in another round of battle.

"If I may be the voice of compromise," Gronnus said with a smile and a glance towards Freya. "Perhaps the good Overlord Freya might like to see for herself how well-trained Amanda is."

Amanda's heart raced. That was the last thing she wanted! It had been bad enough with Marisa, but with an Overlord...

Freya cast a gaze that was both calculating and desirous upon Amanda's form. It satisfied her immensely when she perceived the girl's shudder. "Assuming, of course, Roquan offers her to us for our pleasure."

"That is the custom," Roquan stated blandly. "Thus that is my intent. If there are no other comments on her, or contesting claims for her..."

Roquan paused. As Freya had predicted, no one spoke up against her. All had deferred to her.

Roquan's eyes narrowed. "So be it."

He returned to Amanda and lifted the chain. Amanda looked up at him, her eyes wide and pleading. Roquan gave her a stern look, but it was tinged with sympathy. Yet the meaning was clear. She could not waver in this. She had to do what was expected of her. She had to be the good slave.

Amanda forced most of the fear from her mind as the lock was closed and the chain reattached. Roquan gave it a brisk snap and led her over to Freya.

Freya paused, her eyes sliding down Amanda's body. Amanda felt another small shudder go through her at the scrutiny. Finally, Freya lifted a hand almost languidly and let Roquan place the end of the chain into it.

"She is yours as long as you wish her," Roquan said stiffly. "Treat her well."

"I most assuredly intend to," Freya said, licking her lips.

It took all of Amanda's willpower not to cringe.

"Hellfire, Roquan," Doran said with a suffering sigh. "That could not have come at a worse time."

Roquan turned to face Doran and Rennis, stopping them as all three were walking along the path that meandered along the edge of the trees. "I do not want to hear it."

"That was the worst thing you could have mentioned... !"

"I already know what I have done, and I already regret having said it!" Roquan said, his voice threatening to rise to a shout. He paused to calm himself. "I do not need another lecture from you on etiquette. I got quite enough of that from Rennis."

"Hey, leave me out of this," said Rennis. "Anyway, Doran, to be fair, Freya was baiting him."

"Yes, Doran, what of that?" Roquan demanded indignantly. "Why was this Overlord -- this woman -- allowed to make such blatantly insulting statements with no reaction from the others?"

"You just answered your own question."

Roquan peered at Rennis through narrowed eyes. "The others deferred to her simply because she is female?"

"Why is that a new concept with you, Roquan?!" Doran thundered. "Really, you ought to broaden your horizons when it comes to your pick of companions in your bed."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Sometimes you lose a little perspective on the female sex when all you do for your own need is use your slaves."

Roquan blanched at this. Now he was being told his sex life was inadequate as well!

"Really, what's the point of arguing this?" Rennis insisted. "The damage is done. Let's try to fix it, instead of pointing the finger of blame at each other."

Doran sighed. "You're right, of course."

"So what do we do now, Doran?" asked Roquan. "I am looking to you for guidance on this."

Doran glanced around them for a moment. When he spoke again, it was in softer tones. "I believe we may have been fortuitous. I have word that Overlord Trennan D'vard is willing to negotiate. And I don't think he wants slaves, so this may be our chance to pull in an easy vote."

"But I saw him conferring with Gronnus," said Rennis.

Doran was nodding his head impatiently. "Yes, yes, I know, but Trennan never takes the first offer he hears, he always waits for a competing bid. Now, Roquan, I'm going to help you with this one, because I think I have what old Trennan wants."

"Which is?"

"Wine. The more, the better. The man drinks it like water."

Rennis smirked. He had heard some stories about Trennan's love for wine. Sometimes he loved it a little too much.

"And you can offer him this?"

"No, you can offer it. It will come from my Manor, but you make the offer and conclude the deal."

Both Rennis and Roquan nodded. In addition to the normal farmland that most Overlords had near their Manors, Doran maintained a vineyard. Quite a fine vineyard, at least by Oceanus standards. While some foreign brands were superior, Doran's were considered to be in the same league with many of them.

"I seem to recall hearing that you have been having very good luck these past few seasons," Rennis commented.

Doran beamed proudly. "Oh, yes, very good. And I still have stores of very fine wine from last year's harvest. I generally make more platinum selling it on the open market than trading it with these louts."