Chapter 28

The Wanderer was a man of instincts. His training had taught him how to search for that inner guide that could offer him the quickest path to enlightenment. When done properly, he could summon up the same answer that his analytical mind would have spent twice as long in determining. Those instincts now told him he should be ready for a major change.

He could see the growing exhaustion on the Overlord's face as the two of them spoke shortly after the evening meal. As the conversation progressed, it became clear to him that it was far more than mere stress from hosting the Conclave. This alone was enough to alert him. There was a subtle sense of urgency to the Overlord's words, as if quietly emphasizing how important this was to him.

Naturally, Jollis already knew, for it was even more important to his own master. The same goal, yet for different ends.

"Ah, yes. I believe I can come through on that as well, your Lordship," Jollis said. "You may tell him that I... or, that is to say, you... can deliver on that promise."

"I realize I took a risk in promising goods before I could speak with you first," Roquan admitted. "Yet he was stubborn. He pressed for a commitment."

"This is understood, Overlord, and I am in no way inconvenienced by it." Jollis smiled. "If anything, I consider it a compliment of the highest order, that you would assume I could come through on it."

Roquan paused a moment, his face appearing as if he were wrestling with the next words to say. "I took a moment to do a tally of the goods you have thus far promised me," the Overlord said, reaching down for a parchment on his desk. He picked it up and let his eyes drift down the freshly-inked figures. "I am... at a loss to know how and when I will pay you."

"May I see that, your Lordship?"

Roquan nodded and passed the parchment to him.

Jollis appeared to mull it over for a few moments. "I am willing to make you another offer, Overlord. Or perhaps I should say, the same offer again. I again wish to stay on as a permanent tradesman."

"And how does that factor into this?" Roquan asked tiredly.

"I would accept that position as payment in full for all the goods I am to deliver."

Roquan stared silently at the merchant for a few moments. "Did I hear you correctly, Jollis?"

Jollis' smile broadened. "Ah, but I surprise you, do I not?"

"The word you are searching for, merchant, is shocked." He reached over and snatched the parchment from him, brandishing it before him. "You cannot expect me to believe you think any trade relationship with me will bring in enough profits to cover this in anything less than ten years!"

Roquan tossed the parchment towards his desk. Jollis watched it as it wafted down before speaking again. "I do indeed think this will be profitable for the both of us. I would not make the offer if I did not think so." He turned his head and fixed his steady gaze on the Overlord. "I am no fool, you see."

Roquan met the gaze, one almost as unyielding as his own. "The thought never entered my mind."

"But you do doubt, and this is understandable. So be it. Perhaps we postpone this discussion then?"

"It is just as well. I have other business to conduct this evening."

"Oh? Is there another you wish to sway?"

Roquan started to shake his head and caught himself. "Actually, it is one already swayed, so to speak. It is simply a matter of closing the deal."

Jollis paused and nodded slowly. He caught the change in the Overlord's manner. It was just like his own, when he had been forced to commit the most distasteful act upon the Healer. His instincts were making him tense. Not visibly, but mentally and emotionally. "I shall leave you then, your Lordship..."

"Before you do, Jollis, I wish to ask you something."

The merchant turned back around and nodded once in a respectful manner.

"You speak of a lucrative enterprise by choosing to remain here. Would this have to do with your Far West contacts?"

And now the question came upon Jollis again: How much to reveal? Does he tell the Overlord the truth, or the truth inasmuch as he is allowed to speak it? The events that appear to be about to transpire told him no. It was too dangerous a time to reveal himself.

It was the Emperor's hand. He could feel the shadow of it beginning to pass over them. It was deciding where to strike. He would be a fool to give it a target.

"They are but one set of the many contacts I enjoy, your Lordship," Jollis said smoothly. His contemplation had lasted barely a moment's time. Again, it was all about instinct. "The Far West ones are indeed lucrative, or can be, but they are not my only ones."

Roquan eyed the merchant, and it was clear to Jollis from that gesture that the Overlord suspected there was more. Allow him to suspect. It will keep his curiosity piqued and increase his interest. It will make him amenable to hearing more later.

"Very well. We will discuss this further at another time."

"Yes, your Lordship. I wish you a pleasant evening."

The customary response died on the Overlord's lips as he looked past the merchant. Jollis now turned as well, in time to see Amanda enter the chamber from the outside, with Sirinna behind her.

The merchant could not help but smile. "Ah, but it is good to see you again, little one."

At once, even before the first words were out of his mouth, Jollis knew something was wrong.

Amanda lifted her slightly downcast eyes. They were tinged red about the edges, and there was a sad, despondent look to them. They shimmered slightly. Her lips curled into a very tiny smile, but it was forced.

His eyes shifted to the girl's Trainer. She was a little better composed, but not by very much. She, too, had been crying, and when she drew in her breath, it sounded almost as if she had to choke back a sob.

Smoothly, Jollis turned his head back to Roquan and gave him a polite nod. He then headed towards the door without another look at the two slaves.

Jollis felt the night air on his skin, having been cooled by a quick-moving thunderstorm just before the evening meal. He let it stimulate him, goosebumps rising, helping clear his mind as he walked briskly down the path that led away from Roquan's quarters.

Something was quite seriously wrong, and he needed to find out what it was.

He glanced up at the skies and over to the west. There was still a dull, deep indigo glow that was the remnants of the day, just under some lingering, brooding clouds. There was still enough light to be seen even just off to the side of the path.

The merchant walked down the main path running along the north side of the Manor until he was halfway towards the bluff. At this point, he left the path and strode into the grasses that lined the gardens, carefully picking his steps to do the least amount of damage and leave the least amount of evidence of his passing. Once far enough in, he crouched beside some bushes and waited.

Jollis was not entirely concealed, but by remaining absolutely still, he melted into the growing darkness of encroaching night. He did not have very long to wait. He soon spotted movement on the path, evidenced by the flicker of the magical torches that lined the path, igniting in sequence to provide illumination, darkening behind the person as she passed.

And it was most definitely a female. Jollis knew immediately that it was Overlord Freya D'yros.

Jollis watched as the female Overlord turned down the path towards Roquan's quarters. Even from this distance, the merchant could tell that she was quite pleased with herself. This, in turn, made Jollis all the more wary.

Freya disappeared into Roquan's quarters, and all was still again.

Jollis continued to wait. Again, it did not take long. This time it was Amanda he saw first, still in her restraints, and leading Freya. The merchant remained very still as they approached, his eyes fixed on them. They grew close enough that he could hear Amanda's slightly ragged breathing. Then a pair of torches lit at just the right moment for Jollis to see Amanda's face very clearly.

For the first time, the merchant felt his heart wrench.

All the happiness and laughter were gone from her eyes. They held nothing but despair and defeat. They glistened in the light, and behind the shortness of her breath he could hear the tiny sobs that she was purposely holding back. Her shoulders slumped, much of the energy and enthusiasm he had so admired in her now gone.

As they passed, Freya snapped the chain hard, making Amanda gasp and falter in her step. Jollis' body tensed, all peace and calm gone from his face.

"There may not be others about, Amanda, but I will not have you slouching so horribly," Freya commented.

"Yes, mistress," Amanda said in a hollow voice.

Jollis waited until the two of them had disappeared from sight before he stirred. And even after he had, he took another moment to find his inner peace again.

Forgive me master, he thought silently to himself.

That was the closest he had come to doing something that was the total antithesis of his training and upbringing. Yet never had something filled him with such vile disgust as what he had just witnessed. It represented the worst of Narlassi culture. It was the worst of the Overlord system of slavery.

If he had had any doubts about his ultimate task now, this had dispelled them. He understood now. First the Urisi had devolved, and now the influence was spreading here. His master had been wise to pick Roquan D'ronstaq. He represented the best of the Overlord system, even as flawed as it was.

But now those plans were threatened. It had never been expected that Roquan would do such a trade. Jollis had no doubt that Roquan's hand was forced somehow. It mattered not how it happened, however. The fact remained that it did, and it was not good.

It was not good at all.

The next moment, Jollis realized how far he had nearly come to failing. What he had witnessed had disturbed him so much that it was only now, as he was turning away from the bluff, that he realized someone was almost upon him.

The hand had reached out and grabbed him by his shirt, yanking him hard. Jollis stumbled but for a breath, regained his balance, and struck. But his assailant had not intended to either subdue or kill him, and had already leapt back before Jollis' blow could strike, ending barely inches from the other man's face.

"Taking another walk, foreigner?"

Jollis lowered his hand and straightened his shirt, smiling. "It is a good night for one, is it not, Merchant Herdon?"

Herdon cast two dark and cold eyes at Jollis. "Just as it is one for skulking in the gardens?"

"Ah, but looks can be deceiving when it is so dark. You see there is a path a short distance away. Perhaps you saw me emerging from there?"

Herdon's eyes flicked over to it briefly and then back to Jollis. "Why are you so close to the Overlord's quarters?"

"Am I now?"

"Stop playing games, foreigner!"

"Games? Ah, yes, you misinterpret. Perhaps the inflection in my voice was wrong. I meant 'am I now' in a sarcastic manner, to mean 'yes, this is quite obvious, why do you insist on mentioning it'?"

Herdon seethed. The smile had not altered a fraction on Jollis' face even as the rebuke was delivered. "I thought by now you would be sharing a bed with the slave you wanted so badly."

"There may be a change in plans on this score." He altered his stance just enough so that his face fell into complete shadow, and then let his eyes flick over to the Overlord's quarters, where movement had caught his eye.

He spotted Sirinna now, standing just along the path from Roquan's quarters. She appeared to pause, briefly dropping her face into her hands and shuddering.

Herdon raised an eyebrow at this, but Jollis offered no further explanation. Having no idea that Jollis was looking behind him, Herdon did not turn his head.

Behind Herdon, Sirinna had composed herself and resumed walking away from Roquan's quarters, her gait and manner no better than Amanda's had been. Jollis followed her with his eyes without turning his head until she had disappeared from his field of view.

Jollis had no desire to spar any further with Herdon. He knew that the merchant was up to something. He had seen him and Overlord Gronnus conferring several times. From what he knew of the Overlord, this did not bode well at all. The transaction involving Amanda had come at the worst possible moment, as he was sure that her part had yet to be played.

Herdon sneered. "Don't tell me you have grown bored with her already."

"Perhaps this is true. Sometimes, merchant Herdon, you manage to speak great wisdom."

Herdon blinked in surprise at this praise and was too nonplussed to respond.

Yes, indeed, Jollis thought with satisfaction. Keep your enemy off-balance, even if means praising him.

Jollis smiled all the more and nodded once to Herdon. "Good night to you, merchant."

He turned and quickly strode away.

Freya snapped the chain, bringing Amanda to a halt just inside the Overlord's quarters. She paused and snapped it again. Amanda dutifully turned and looked up at her new mistress with eyes that shimmered with both great sadness and fear.

Freya leaned forward and peered into them. "Well... I don't quite see that defiance in you very much anymore," she said with a smirk. "Perhaps this was the best thing for you."

Amanda said nothing. She simply looked up at the Overlord, her body trembling slightly.

"Are you frightened of me, Amanda?" Freya asked in a softer voice. She caressed Amanda's cheek gently and watched the girl shiver. "Tell me the truth."

Amanda swallowed. "Y-yes, mistress."

"Are you afraid I'm going to hurt you?" Freya dropped her hand and lightly stroked one nipple.

"Yes, mistress..." Amanda breathed, her muscles tensing as if bracing herself.

"Are you afraid I'm going to mistreat you?" Freya ran her fingers lightly along one hip, then teased Amanda's sex lightly.

Amanda bit her lip, and in a barely audible voice she said, "Yes, mistress."

Freya paused and lifted her hand. She touched Amanda's chin and nudged her into raising her gaze to her mistress again.

"Really, Amanda, you need not worry about any of these things."

Amanda just stared back at her, panting now in fear.

Freya grinned at her. "In fact, it's all up to you. You get to decide what happens to you. I cannot think of anything more fair than that. Can you?"

Amanda paused a moment before replying, as if some of her defiance threatened to well up in her again. If it had, it quickly died, for she looked at Freya in resignation and said in a tired voice, "No, mistress."

Freya briefly touched Amanda's hair. It was so much like the way Sirinna touched it that it revolted her. She visibly shuddered before she could control herself.

The Overlord tugged on the chain and twirled a finger in the air. Amanda turned away from her. She undid the restraints but left the chain on. When she was done, she snapped it again and made Amanda turn around again.

"Notice how I left the chain on you, Amanda? I did this for a reason. Get used to this. From now on, you will always have a chain. You will always have a collar. There will be no concept of graduating. Do you understand me so far?"

Amanda swallowed again and nodded, her throat closing up. All that she could have gained if she had kept to her training, the privilege of having at least an illusion of some freedom at a later date, now gone in a single night.

Freya snapped the chain. "Nods are not good enough. Say it."

"Yes, mistress," Amanda said in a badly strained voice. She had to resist the urge to cry again.

"The next thing you need to know is there will be no going abroad. You are my slave and mine alone. I am your only mistress. With me so far?"

Amanda was forced to take a quick, deep breath to compose herself again. Now she longed for the chance to be given to a stranger, to have time away from this woman. But even this was now a forlorn hope. "Yes, mistress."

Freya snapped the chain and pointed to the bed. Amanda went over to it, Freya still holding the other end of the chain and walking with her. Amanda climbed onto the bed, looking back at Freya for guidance.

"On your back. Legs spread."

Amanda did as she was told, her heart thumping almost painfully in her chest. Freya could see her trembling and smiled in satisfaction.

Freya turned and secured the chain to one of the bedposts before heading over to where her satchel lay on a chair. She reached in and withdrew the wooden box. "There is something else you should know," she said as she turned. "No need to play any silly games with me. I know you are Draughtless. I know you have been spying for Roquan. Let's get that one out in the open and be done with it."