Chapter 2

In truth, had Amanda not been as nervous about the deflowering, she might not have flown off the handle like that. She already felt guilty about it by the time they turned down the path to Roquan's quarters. She quickly ceased to dwell on such matters, however, as the Overlord's residence loomed ahead of her. Despite the fact that she remained in full sun all the way to the door, she felt it casting a shadow over her nonetheless.

Chain or no chain, she had to resist the urge to bolt.

It was only after Sirinna had opened the door and bid Amanda to step inside that she understood why. Her collaring the night before was supposed to have been the point of no return. In reality, what she was doing today was the true turning point. She was about to lose not just her virginity, but whatever sense of innocence she may have had left.

Amanda's eyes darted nervously around her. Briefly they were drawn towards the fireplace and the implements of bondage and discipline that hung prominently from the wall to the left of it. She swallowed hard. She knew that Roquan was unlikely to use any of them at a deflowering; but then again, only a few days before he had put her across his knee and actually spanked her when she had pushed him too far with her insolence.

Sirinna brought Amanda to a stop in the center of the room with a light tug on the chain. Before either of them could say a word, the curtain to the inner chamber parted, and Roquan D'ronstaq stepped into the room.

Amanda's eyes glazed for a moment, as she was unsure of what she would see at this moment. It was only after she saw that the Overlord's body was clothed that she managed to relax a little. She had had the terrible notion that Roquan might have come to her naked, already fully aroused and advancing on her like a lustful satyr.

At the same time, the robe he wore was very light and very thin. It clung to his chiseled form, the smooth sinew of his arms and shoulders clearly outlined. The folds were parted wide near his neck, coming together in a "V" at his waist. Amanda glimpsed a bit of his broad chest through the gap.

Her eyes lingered on this bit of exposure for a moment. It was the most she had ever seen of him. Did she find him attractive? Amanda was not sure. She had so little experience with boys -- let alone older men -- that she had no idea what she liked.

But then again, it was not as if what she liked mattered anymore.

Roquan stood just inside the opening to his bedchamber, his steady gaze falling solidly on Amanda. She quivered at his attention, and one leg moved briefly as if to take a half-step back. She stopped only when she saw something a little different in those eyes this time. They were not as cool and hard as she had remembered them just the day before.

The Overlord stepped towards them, the bottom edge of the robe swirling around his bare feet. Amanda could not decide if the ease in which he moved was born out of confidence or arrogance. She almost could not fault him for the latter. Before Amanda was collared, he had little or no control over her. She could see him wanting to savor a moment like this.

Roquan stopped before her and shifted his gaze towards Sirinna expectantly.

Sirinna could not help but smile despite the solemnity of her voice. "She is ready for you, master. Please treat her well, and give her pleasure."

Amanda felt a flash of heat over her skin as ownership of the end of the chain was exchanged. Just another moment passed as Sirinna quietly made her exit, leaving Amanda alone with the Overlord.

Amanda had no idea what to do or what was expected of her. Her hands clenched and unclenched nervously behind her back, pulling the chain taut between the cuffs. She kept her eyes on his, not knowing where else to place her gaze.

A very small smile played across Roquan's lips. "You're trembling, Amanda," he said, a bit of bemusement in his voice.

Amanda took a breath and let it go. Her voice was small and weak. "I-I know, master."

One eyebrow lifted slightly. "And should I be impressed that you used my proper title on the first attempt?"

The amusement was more apparent in his voice now, but it was not mocking.

She uttered a short sigh. "I'm not going to give you any trouble, master."

"Oh? And how are you so sure of this?"

"I'm too scared to do anything but what you tell me."

Roquan cast a thoughtful but penetrating gaze at Amanda. This was finally too much for her and she dropped her eyes. She nearly flinched when Roquan's hand caught her chin and gently coaxed her into lifting her face towards him again. The next moment, she was so stunned by the gentleness of his touch that she had no idea what to say or think.

"Is that what you believe?" the Overlord asked softly. "That I wish you frightened of me?"

Amanda swallowed and said nothing.

"Turn around."

She hesitated a moment before complying. She felt a tug on her restraints, and then heard two clicks. The cuffs fell away from her wrists. Seconds later, the chain was detached from her neck.

"Face me."

Amanda turned again. In the silence, she could actually hear the little padlock that still remained on her collar swinging from its eyelets. Roquan dropped the cuffs and the chain into the chair near the entrance to the inner chamber. "I hope to show you that your fear is misplaced. I do not wish my slaves to be afraid of me."

Amanda opened her mouth briefly, but caught herself and closed it without saying a word.

"You remembered yourself. I am indeed impressed now, Amanda. Or was that out of fear again?"

"I'm just trying to follow the rules," Amanda said evenly, though there was still a slight quaver to her voice. "I'm not supposed to speak with you unless asked a direct question. Did I get that right, master?"'

Roquan smiled. "Ah, that is more of the Amanda I know. Willful and headstrong."

"I'm sorry, master."

"I did not necessarily mean it as a criticism."

Now Amanda was confused, and she remained silent more for this than any rule.

"You'll learn this in time, but slave training is not meant to destroy your spirit. It is meant to show you obedience and submissiveness. There is a difference."

Amanda said nothing.

"You are free to speak. That rule is suspended for the time being."

"I guess I can't see the difference yet, master."

Roquan reached down and took one of Amanda's hands in his. Again, his touch was unexpectedly light. His fingers squeezed hers almost tenderly. Her eyes turned to his with mild surprise, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft and husky. "I wish only to bring out the best in my slaves, Amanda. That includes you."

Amanda did not know how to react to this. His words did not have any significance to her. She was sure that he did not truly understand what her real reasons were for staying in Narlass. She could not believe that Roquan had no idea at all; he was too intelligent and too observant of his slaves for that. Yet she doubted that he understood how deep her feelings for Sirinna went. Or how desperate she had been to escape the life she had on Earth.

"I-I'm not sure what you expect to find in me," Amanda finally said.

"That is part of why you are here right now."

She trembled again and felt panic threaten to rise up inside her. "I don't know what you want me to do. I..."

Roquan gave her hand another squeeze, silencing her. "You do not understand this yet, but this is for you, not for me. You do not need to do anything except submit to it."

Amanda could not help herself. She gave him a cynical look. "Is that all, master?"

"It is, perhaps, easier than you believe. Come."

When Roquan stepped back towards his bedchamber, tugging lightly on her arm, Amanda resisted. She stood rigidly in place, as if daring him to show his true self. She expected him to pull on her more insistently, until finally losing patience with her and hauling her inside. Perhaps he was looking for the excuse to do just that, to simply take her brutally and forcefully, to make it nothing more than a rape.

Yet none of these things happened. All he did was give her another light, coaxing tug on her arm, and squeeze her hand again. It was only when he fixed his gaze to hers that she saw a little of the insistence that she had sought. What was missing was the impatience.

When Amanda still did not yield on the second try, Roquan actually smiled at her. "The collar has done nothing to cure you of your defiance. Would you be surprised to learn that I actually find that a relief?"

Amanda did not answer; the surprised look on her face was reply enough.

On Roquan's third try, Amanda relented, and stepped past the curtain and into his bedchamber.

On the other side of the curtain, when her eyes fell upon the Overlord's inner sanctum, she briefly froze up again, advancing no further than a few feet from the door. Roquan did not force the matter and let go of her hand. Amanda, ever observant, realized that he was putting his trust in her. She could have bolted out the door before he could grab her. Perhaps there was some significance to the fact that he removed her bonds before bringing her into the bedchamber.

Curiosity began to overcome fear. She looked around, and discovered that the Overlord's bedchamber was not all that different from slave quarters. It had the same wood pole and thatch construction, save that some of the former had heatless and smokeless torches attached to them.

She heard a rush of water somewhere. She glanced towards the sound, and saw another curtained entrance leading to what she had assumed was the sanity. Yet it was apparent from the vague movement she saw beyond the veil that his was a bit more.

"Amanda."

She flinched when she saw Roquan standing before her again, but her eyes were instead drawn to the curious object in his hands.

"You will need this first."

Tentatively, Amanda accepted a small flask filled with an odd-looking bluish-green fluid. Before the Overlord could speak again, Amanda made the connection. "This is to protect me, isn't it, master? From pregnancy, I mean."

"So you know of it already?"

"Sirinna mentioned it to me a few days ago."

"Then you know you must drink it before anything else may commence."

Amanda held up the draught to the light. A distressed look came over her face.

"Yes?" asked Roquan.

She lowered the flask. "Um... is this permanent, master?"

"Of course. There is no reason it should not be."

Amanda's fingers tightened around the neck of the flask. Motherhood was not something that had ever really entered her mind. Being only fourteen, there was little reason for it to occupy her thoughts. Yet now she was being asked to give it up forever.

In Narlassi logic, it made perfect sense. No one who was a slave stopped being a slave, so there would be no need to reverse such a thing.

She looked up. Roquan was watching her with a curious look. Amanda wondered what that meant. Did all other Captives simply accept this fate at this point without hesitation? She thought perhaps they did.

Amanda did not care what the rules said. She could not change her attitude so quickly. Thus it was only a sense of duty and requirement that made her lift the flask to her mouth and drink down the rather bland contents in just a few swallows.

There was something of a small grin upon Roquan's face as he took the empty flask from her. "I believe my assessment was correct when I said you would be challenge to train, Amanda. Will you be as much a challenge to me today?"

"I honestly don't know, master."

Roquan stepped up to her and placed his strong hands lightly on her shoulders. To as much her surprise as his, she did not shrink away from his touch. His hands slid gently down her arms. He could still feel her body quivering, but less so than before. When Amanda raised her eyes to his again, there was less anxiety and more curiosity in them. Yet ever-present was that faint gleam of defiance.

"You do not seem quite as frightened now as you were."

There was truth to his statement. She was at least not so scared of the Overlord. Her feelings on other matters, however, had yet to change. "Looks can be deceiving, master."

"Then perhaps you will still benefit from a little diversion."

Before she could inquire about this, he took her hand and led her through the side doorway.

As she had surmised, only the part closest to the doorway contained a sanitary. Beyond it was another full room nearly as large as the bedchamber, and housed something that looked very familiar to her.

Unlike the bedchamber, the floor here was rock, carved into a smooth bowl-shaped depression. It was filled with clear water that steamed gently. In the center, a spring bubbled steadily, sending ripples over the surface of the pool. Where the waves crested, a bit of soapy froth had formed.

Amanda recognized it because there was one behind Sirinna's quarters, though it was open to the air. She shuddered, for her experience with it had not been completely pleasant. That was when she had unwittingly brought the Disalla into the water with her, driving herself and Tanyee nearly insane with lust.

Tentatively, she dipped the toes of one foot into the pool. It was quite warm, even more so than that of Sirinna's. She flicked her toes, and where the water splashed, a thick, soapy froth formed almost instantly. Her panic spiked, and she yanked her foot back.

"Ordinary soap," Roquan said. "Nothing more."

Amanda jerked her head around, her gaze sharp for a moment before softening as she reluctantly remembered her place.

"I intend to use nothing magical on you, Amanda. Surely Sirinna has told you this."

"She did, master." She paused a moment, her heart starting to pound again. "Will... will you be entering the pool with me?"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. Suddenly the steam felt oppressively warm to her. His voice was as soft as his touch. "What do you think?"

Amanda swallowed hard. She felt that the idea of just seeing Roquan naked, let alone being in such an intimate setting with him, was still beyond her ability to cope.

"At some point, you must be willing to trust me, Amanda."

Had his voice hinted at anger, or impatience, or even amusement, she might not have responded. Instead, it was more like a plea, and very unlike what she thought an Overlord would be like when dealing with a reluctant slave. Trust on her part was not something she thought would even enter his mind. Was he truly that concerned about it?

Amanda took a deep breath, but it did little good. The steam had thickened, and moist warmth was making her feel a bit lightheaded. She turned herself away from Roquan, as if making a point that she was doing this herself and not because he had wanted it. She lowered herself and slipped into the pool.

She felt her breath taken from her for a moment as the heat of the water slid over her naked skin. Just the simple movement of her body slipping into the water was enough to ring her with dense suds. The soap seemed to leave a bright, oily sheen on her skin which glistened brightly. When she placed a hand along her side, it felt not so much slippery as silky. As her hand slid along her skin, it sent a tingle through her body.

Amanda began to turn around, her movements generating a widening ring of suds around her, hiding the bottom of the pool from view. "Master, are you sure this is not..."

But her words stopped abruptly with a sharp gasp as she saw that in her distraction, she had not noticed that the Overlord was already in the pool with her.

Her eyes darted to the side, where his robe lay neatly folded to the side. Her mouth dropped open, her heart racing. Her gaze was drawn back to Roquan, his broad, powerful chest bared to her. Already, suds had formed in the water around his waist, hiding the rest of him from view for the time being. Yet her gaze tracked downward anyway, partially from fear, and partially from simple curiosity.

Roquan approached her, slowly and easily, the water rippling around him. Amanda closed her mouth and watched him intently. As he grew close, she tried to muster up one last bit of defiance in her eyes. It failed when he placed his hands gently against her sides and slid them very slowly down and around the curve of her hips. Even under the water, the soap seemed to cling to her, making his touch extremely sensuous.

But not sexual. Not yet. He made no move to touch her in any intimate areas. His hands drew upwards, along her sides and under her arms, yet avoided her breasts. They slipped behind her, drawing her towards him and massaging her back, but never descended below her waist.

He finally withdrew and pulled back from her slightly. "Perhaps you trust me a bit more now."

At the same time, however, Amanda noticed his voice had grown quite husky and deep.

"And there is nothing magical in the water, master?"

"If you feel anything, Amanda, it is not the doing of magic."

"I'm... I-I'm not quite sure what I feel right now."

"That is perfectly understandable. You are not experienced enough yet."

"But that's why I'm here, isn't it?"

To her surprise, he shook his head.

"This is not for experience. This is for enjoyment."

"Mine or yours?"

Roquan paused, and then laughed softly. It was the first time Amanda had ever heard the Overlord laugh. It suddenly made him seem a little more human to her.

"It is largely for you. But I would be foolish if I told you I did not wish enjoyment for myself." Roquan paused a moment, and then added in a lower voice, "And it would be a most outrageous lie if I said I did not find you very desirable."

Amanda's eyes widened. For the first time since entering Roquan's quarters, she felt a flash of heat that had nothing to do with the water or the steam. Yet it was also mixed with an equal measure of fear. She knew now what she had suspected, that he was already quite aroused and ready to have her, but she was not there yet herself.

At least now, however, she thought she might have a chance of getting there.

Roquan, ever the master at reading his slaves' feelings, sensed this and smiled softly at her. Without a word, he picked up one of her hands, lifting her arm from the water. He scooped up some suds with his free hand, and began to bathe her.

Amanda felt another flash of heat, stronger this time, and focusing on her sex. As with everything else, part of the feelings invoked were good, part were not. She remembered her Disalla-induced tryst with Tanyee starting in a similar fashion.

With Tanyee, however, it had devolved into a sexual, lustful frenzy of touching and stroking. Here, Roquan kept the same slow, purposeful movements with which he started the task. He slowly and methodically washed one arm and then the other, her heart racing each time his hand slid up her arm and closer to her body.