Chapter 5

The Emperor was not pleased. Whenever such a situation arose, he generally made a point to insure that others were displeased as well in equal or greater measure. He was not about to make an exception in this case, especially when dealing with an Overlord.

Z'haas crossed the line from displeasure to anger as he impatiently awaited the Overlord to answer his Farview summons, the blue pearl growing brightly from where Z'haas had placed it, yet no image had yet formed above it.

"Send the summons again!" Z'haas barked as he swiped his hand through the air once more over the pearl. The light from the pearl flickered briefly in acknowledgment of the command.

Finally, the image of Overlord Gronnus D'yoran shimmered into existence, his face flushed with anger. "Blazing hellfire, Z'haas!"

The Emperor sneered. "Gronnus, you oaf. How long did you intend to keep your sovereign waiting?"

"I am a busy man, Z'haas. I cannot simply drop everything and take a Farviewing audience from the Emperor in my own Manor!"

"And why should I be interested in what a few slaves might see?"

"Well, you certainly should be interested in what other Overlords might see, for I have two of the most insufferable of the lot here in my Manor today."

Emperor Z'haas' lips curled into a sly smile. Even potential allies among the Overlords still loathe each other. Good. Perhaps he need not worry as much about the Overlords rallying against him once Roquan was out of the picture.

If that ever happened, that is, and thus the reason for the Emperor's displeasure.

"I do hope you do a better job with them than I have seen you do so far, Gronnus."

"And just what are you talking about?"

"I am talking about Doran D'jorus, you idiot! I do not care for what my intelligence is telling me."

Gronnus raised an eyebrow, his gaze narrowing. "Your 'intelligence'?"

"Less than a quarter-moon ago, Rennis D'glounaas spoke with Doran in person before visiting Roquan. Much was discussed between Rennis and Doran."

"And just how do you know... ?"

Emperor Z'haas ignored his inquiry and talked over him. "The details do not matter. What matters is that Doran is succeeding in finding Overlords that may be interested in what Roquan has to say at this Conclave. It is exactly as I had feared, and you have done nothing to stop it!"

Gronnus looked taken aback. "Roquan cannot have any allies yet, it's impossible! I have been speaking to the others myself! I've been inviting them to my Manor, ungrateful bastards that they are..."

"It is not enough! You must have this won before the Conclave even starts."

Gronnus fumed. "You are asking for the world, Z'haas," he grumbled.

"I can give you the names of the Overlords that Doran appears about to sway. You can work on them. "

Gronnus looked suspiciously at the Emperor. "Who are they?"

"Weton D'honna and Freya D'yros."

The Overlord gaped at the Emperor, and then laughed out loud. "Freya?! Great gods, Z'haas, I would not trust this 'intelligence' of yours any further if it is giving you this information."

Z'haas folded his arms and gave the Overlord an indignant stare.

Gronnus returned it with an ingratiating smile. "My dear Emperor, Freya despises Roquan more than many of the other Overlords combined. She is the one least likely to be swayed to Roquan's side."

"You underestimate Doran's persuasiveness, Gronnus. Or did you forget that he was the one that helped you rally the others around 'your' idea to have me cancel the treaty?"

Gronnus' smile faded. "Z'haas, I demand to know how you are getting this information. Do not tell me you have more agents infiltrating as slaves. I will not stand for that!"

"I do not have any more such agents," the Emperor said blandly. "But I will tell you no more than that."

The Overlord sighed. "Very well. I will act on this information, despite the fact that it is likely a fool's errand. Do you have anything else you wish of me?"

The sarcastic tone in Gronnus' voice suggested that he would not care to hear of anything more. The Emperor would disappoint him. "Yes. I wish you to consider more drastic action against Roquan."

"Ah. This 'more permanent' solution of yours."

The Emperor paused a beat. "Not quite. This is something else. The matter with Amanda."

"Yes, what of it?"

"Consider using it as a means of deposing Roquan."

Gronnus stared at Z'haas and sputtered. "Depose him? You mean remove him from the Manor? Are you utterly mad?!"

The Emperor gave him an even look. "And why is this a problem?"

"We would have to hold a formal Tribunal. We have not done such a thing in a century!"

"But it would solve the problem. Remove Roquan from his Overlordship and his influence is gone."

"He has no designated successor, Z'haas! No one to take control of the Manor. The Manor would have to be disbanded and his slaves sold at auction!"

Z'haas considered for a moment. "And if I were to arrange things to sway the bidding in your favor?"

Gronnus fell silent.

Z'haas' lips curled into a conspiratorial smile, making him look even more the part of the predator. "Think of the idea of having some of the choicest of Roquan's slaves for your own Manor. Where, by your own beliefs, they rightly belong, with the oldest Overlord clan that can make good use of them."

Gronnus scratched his chin, hard in thought. He sighed. "It may still be too much to ask. An Overlords' Tribunal, Z'haas... it will attract a great deal of attention from the nobility. Roquan's clients will insist on exercising their right to be present at the proceedings."

The Emperor sneered. "Is protecting that precious little secret of yours about the Draught worth that much to you?"

Gronnus said nothing in reply.

"You will consider it, Gronnus. I command it as your Emperor."

The Overlord grunted. "I will see what I can do. I still have my doubts that Roquan will be able to summon anyone to his cause at all."

Emperor Z'haas ended the Farview with a flick of one hand to avoid any further debate. The image of Gronnus faded quickly, and the pearl went dark.

As Z'haas picked up the pearl and examined it in his hand, he silently cursed those that had come before him on the throne of Oceanus. Why had they let the power of the Overlords get this far? Did they and the nobility simply lose themselves in the sexual revelry provided by these people?

His fist closed tightly around the pearl. Oceanus has grown soft and complacent. They have taken for granted the last century of relative peace. And now that the threat of war was upon them again -- one in which he was sure a terrible new weapon would rise from the dark depths of someone's demented imagination -- his realm was woefully unprepared.

Z'haas sighed, the anger draining from his face and replaced with worry. This was the face he showed no one. He would not allow even himself to see it in a mirror, lest he waver from his course. The intelligence from the Far West was now increasingly scarce to come by. It was possible they knew he was watching them.

The Emperor took a deep breath and straightened his regal form. He banished the worry from his face, replacing it with grim resolve. That is the face people needed to see now.

Any infiltration from the Far West into Oceanus had to be stopped, at whatever the cost. Roquan represented a weak link in the chain. To the Emperor's mind, he was no more than a traitor.

Therefore, nothing could be left to chance.

Z'haas replaced the pearl into its bed of velvet, alongside the myriad other pearls he owned for contacting important people in his realm. Yet it was not from these that he took his next one. He instead withdrew a very tiny box from inside a cabinet magically locked to his hand only. Inside this was a special pearl whose existence he kept hidden from the court.

He glanced up at the skylight. It was just getting towards afternoon. The summons would likely be answered immediately.

He placed the pearl in its customary spot. "Send summons," he intoned, waving his hand over it once.

As he had hoped, it was answered quickly, and the familiar form of his agent formed before him. "My Emperor," said the shimmering form with a reverent bow of his head. "What is your wish of me?"

"I may have a job for you to do after all," the Emperor said.

Roquan admitted to a small degree of irritation at Rennis' visit by the time Rennis left for the return trip to his Manor. In the handful of days that Rennis had been there, he had given Roquan a crash-course in Overlord etiquette. It was in the waning days of that whereupon Roquan realized he was, in a way, being "trained". The idea that he was doing something akin to what his slaves did grated on him to no end.

It only further convinced him that the Emperor had outlived his usefulness on the Oceanus throne.

It was growing increasingly difficult for him to avoid bearing any personal ill will towards Z'haas. His intent was always to call for a bloodless coup. Influence an heir-apparent or a member of high nobility that was well-connected with the Imperium, some behind-the-scenes political maneuvering, and there would be a smooth transition of power. It had been done before. The last thing he -- or any Overlord for that matter -- wanted was a changing of the guard by force.

Roquan was thus grateful for a new distraction to steer his mind from these thoughts.

He emerged from his inner chamber, fully dressed in his semi-formal silks and cloak, and greeted the young, freckle-faced young man that stood in his outer chamber. "Good day to you and your clan, Torin. Good to see you at the D'ronstaq Manor again."

Torin Ne'land had been gawking at the implements of bondage and restraint upon the wall of the chamber when the Overlord entered the room. His eyes lingered on them for a moment even as he turned towards Roquan and began speaking. "Yeah, it's been a while, huh?"

Roquan allowed himself a small smile. The boy's speech bespoke of his youth and inexperience as much as his impish manner did. Torin could be no more than sixteen. The riding leathers he wore were weathered and obviously second-hand. He was still very much the apprentice after two years, which was typical for one of a Merchant Clan.

"From this visit I may take it that the Land Merchant Clan will be visiting the Manor shortly."

Torin continued to take furtive glances around the room. Despite how many Manors he had been in -- typical for a Merchant Scout -- he still marveled at them, and at the idea that each held a bevy of pretty, naked women trained to do a man's bidding. Not that he saw much of that action himself, to his chagrin. The Clan Leader was adamant about that. Business before pleasure. Torin had five more stops to make in so many days.

"Yeah, the clan's gonna be comin' around yer neck of the woods, yer Lordship," Torin said.

Roquan raised an eyebrow. "The entire clan?"

"Yep. Uridon's no fool. He ain't gonna let this business opp'tunity go by."

The Overlord considered for a moment. "You're not referring to the Conclave, are you?"

"You bet I am, yer Lordship. I mean, c'mon, a whole buncha Overlords with deep pockets all in one place? He'd be a fool to pass that up."

Roquan nodded. It made sense to him, though it further complicated matters. "I assume Uridon will wish the customary accommodations for his clan."

Torin grinned widely. "Oh, yeah, ya can count on that."

"And your enthusiasm on that score would have little to do with how you may benefit, of course."

It amused the Overlord to see the young boy blush. "Well, I'm hopin' Uridon will, ya know, see his way clear to lettin' me, uh, take advantage of yer, um, hospitality."

Roquan took a moment to let it play through his mind.

Traveling Merchant clans visited the various towns and Manors on a fairly regular basis. While the Manor was self-sufficient in terms of basic needs -- food supplied by farmlands owned by the Overlord and water by freshwater springs and lakes -- other materials and luxury items had to be imported. A clan would send out scouts like young Torin to feel out the market and report back to the clan leader via Farview.

Normally, only part of a clan would visit and spend no more than a day. Sometimes, however, the entire clan would visit and set up a bazaar that ran for several days. It was customary for the locale to give them free accommodations and amenities. For a Manor, that meant housing them with the slaves, and allowing them use the slaves' services.

It was this last point that always grated on Roquan, as fiercely protective of his slaves as he was. Fortunately, Uridon Ne'land was highly respected by the Merchants' Guild, and knew how to treat slaves properly. Anyone in his clan caught mistreating a slave was punished severely.

An Overlord had the option to refuse. However, Roquan knew exactly what Rennis would say to that if he found out Roquan had done such a thing.

"If he does, I will see to it you are paired with a slave that is to your liking," said Roquan.

Torin blinked, and then broke out into a wide grin. "Thank you, yer Lordship!"

"Now, to return to the business at hand. I assume you are here to find out what we need."

"Yep, that be right. We got the usual stuff. Casks o' wine, some of the fruits ya don't grow here, that sorta thing."

"We are also in need of good leather."

"Yep, got lotsa that." He glanced over at the wall again, grinning. "Gonna need some new collars an' stuff, huh? More slaves the merrier, I s'pose."

Roquan smirked at the boy's forwardness. Merchants were the one group allowed a little leeway in this regard. "Even without new slaves, things wear out over time. On that score, I will need some steel for our metalworkers."

"Ah, yeah, we got some of that, too. What else ya be needin'?"

Roquan clasped his hands behind his back. "Would Uridon have a chance to obtain some more exotic items for me?"

"He's got lotsa good contacts, I know that. Whatcha be needin', yer Lordship?"

"Some magical wards and protectives. Specifically, those that can be used to guard against harsh weather."

Torin looked askance at the Overlord. "Beggin' yer pardon, yer Lordship, but why ya be needin' that?"

"We are nearing the start of the summer season. Hurricanes will begin to be a problem."

"But doncha have the Mages' Guild fer that? They're s'posed ta divert storms like that and give ya protections if the edge clips ya."

Roquan's eyes narrowed. "Recent events have told me that it is probably not wise to completely trust the Guild right now."

This drew a surprised look from the boy, and the Overlord wondered if he should have said anything. It was Q'yros of the Mages' Guild that had been the one called in to help recalibrate the Portal that the Overlord used to travel to other worlds to obtain new slaves. It was also that Mage that had added his own "adjustment" to allow it to open a Portal to the Imperial Palace. Roquan was sure the wizard had been working with Yanna in her plot to kidnap Sirinna. There was no way Yanna had the skill to do that kind of modification himself.

To his credit, Torin realized that trying to discuss the matter with the Overlord would be getting in over his head, and he didn't pursue it. He instead focused on Roquan's request. "Well, I dunno, yer Lordship. Stuff like that is hard ta come by. The Mages' Guild don't go jus' givin' that stuff away, ya see."

"I'd prefer he try to obtain it from... other sources."

Torin's eyes widened. "Ya don't mean, like, rogue Mages, do ya?"

Roquan paused. He knew that the Mages' Guild frowned upon anyone working any serious magic who was not a member of the Guild. They often fed the masses propaganda that all rogue Mages were evil and bent on crime or other mayhem.

"It would not matter to me what his source was," Roquan said evenly. "That is not my business. I am willing to pay a fair price for it."

Torin screwed up his face in thought. "Still, I dunno. I'll hafta talk ta Uridon about it."

"Please do so. And if he needs an additional incentive, tell him I will offer him his choice of a slave for his pleasure during his visit."

Torin's eyes bugged out. "Ya mean, you'll let him pick one fer himself?"

Roquan nodded. Traditionally, the Overlord decided which slave accommodated which merchant.

"Even Sirinna??"

The Overlord smiled. His best slave's reputation was known even outside of nobility. "Yes, even Sirinna."

"I'll be sure ta tell him, yer Lordship!"

"Thank you, Torin. It is always a pleasure to do business with your clan."

The routine was becoming so ingrained in Amanda that she hardly paid it any mind anymore. Sirinna no longer even had to give the order. Once breakfast was done and Amanda rose to her feet from Sirinna's bed, she automatically turned and presented her wrists behind her. She now realized that being restrained in this manner was not as big a deal as she had thought it was. It generally lasted only as long as it took to bring her back and forth between the Circle and her quarters.

"I have a surprise for you today, Amanda," Sirinna said that morning as she closed the tiny padlocks on Amanda's cuffs.

Amanda tensed a bit as she turned back around to face Sirinna, and just looked at her mistress expectantly, trying not to show her nervousness. Something was about to disrupt her comfortable routine.

"Today you begin training how to pleasure another."

"Oh, okay," Amanda replied, not knowing quite what else to say.

Sirinna looked at Amanda's face, as if searching for something. "Excited?"

Amanda managed a weak smile. "A little. I mean, I'm glad I'm going to be doing something other than lying on back all the time, as nice as that can be."

"Oh, we're not going to neglect that. But now we'll start to move towards sex being a reward for doing well in your training session."

Amanda nodded once. She knew it was going to come to this point. "Just like a regular slave, right?"

"Yes, Amanda, that's generally how it works for a contracted slave. You must please your master or mistress first."

Amanda took a deep breath. "I'll try, mistress."

"We'll take it one step at a time. Just your hands today."

"Um... I guess you mean I'll be starting on guys, right?"

Sirinna smiled. "Well, seeing as you already have some experience pleasing a woman, yes."

Amanda blushed lightly. "So then I won't have to deal with Marisa?"

"Eventually, you may. I said you had some experience pleasing a woman, but you don't know everything."

"I thought I was doing a good job with you."

Sirinna chuckled. "You do, and that's the truth. But that's because you concentrated on only me, so you know exactly what I like. You need to learn how to please multiple partners."

Amanda just nodded, her eyes subdued.

"I thought you were getting along with Marisa a bit better."

Amanda's face hardened a touch. "You mean because I didn't beg for relief the last time?"

A few days ago, Marisa had managed to insinuate herself into Amanda's morning training session. Marisa had been true to form, and had done exactly as before.