Serpent's Tooth

The Narrator

After a rather short night both ladies were awakened by a servant knocking at their door, bringing them their wardrobe for the day: A simple pair of short pants, a coarse robe closing in front, a rough rope belt to hold it together and primitive sandals.

Verialyn Kallidis

Verialyn had slept naked as usual, so the servant boy got something to look at for his delivery. After she had briefly washed herself and dressed she went across the hallway to Phyliss' room to see how the gorgon was doing. She politely knocked on the door and asked "May I enter?".

Phyliss Ovida

"Come in." The gorgon was just putting the new clothes on. The sulky expression in her face told what she thought about them before she spoke.
"This is the worst part, when I imagine to be seen in such clothes in public. It would be less humilating if I went there in nude."

Verialyn entered as Phyliss produced her tirade.

"Be careful what you wish for, there is a good chance this wish may come true." She replied smiling while she watched the gorgon finishing dressing. But it was true, the material did not feel particularly pleasant on her bare skin.

Phyliss Ovida

"Hmmpffff. Now let us go. This will be the worst part. It can only get better when we are sold quick." the gorgon walked forward, waiting what Flavius had prepared for them.

As they descended into the dining area Flavius was already waiting for them. He was again immaculately dressed and cheerful despite the early hour.

"Good morning ladies. Even this most coarse of wardrobe can not so much as mar your beauty. Please have a seat and allow Knirlis to paint the slave tattoo on your arm." With these words Flavius pointed to a skinny little man with balding hair sitting next to him, who had already several brushes and paint pots placed before him on the table.

Verialyn replied "You are most charming, master Flavius." With these words she sat down next to Knirlis. The small forger adressed her "Umm, madam, you will have to bare your upper arm."

Verialyn nodded "of course". However the arms of the robe were rather long, so she simply undid her belt, and slid her right arm out of it, giving Knirlis a close up view on her right breast. Knirlis gulped a little, but then focused and went to work, starting to trace the lines of the tattoo on her arm.

Phyliss, still sulking, greeted Flavius and waited until the little man finished with the fake tattos on Verialynns arm. She allowed him to paint her arm as well. If he was intimitaded by her snakes, he didn't show it. Maybe he was used to unusual creatures... after all, this was still a metropole, and the cosmopolitians gathered at such places. These were usually the safest and nicest places for her.
Phyliss got up. "So much for that."

Once they were finished, Flavius Kornalis addressed them again. "Myladies, it is time to go to my associate now. Garrus here will bring you. He will guarantee your safety." He pointed at a guard that had entered the room some minutes before.

Garrus seemed like a rather nondescript average guard, but he must have Flavius's trust when he got such an important assignment. He bowed, and politely asked "If the ladies would follow me?"

Phyliss took a glance at Verialynn, then she followed the guard. She turned around to Flavius once more and said.
"I do this only because we are good friends!" then she walked behind the guard feeling miserable and embarrassed. She didn't even have to act for this.

Verialyn whispered into Phyliss' ear so only she could hear it "I can see how much you hate this. You can still try to infiltrate as a guest. I am sure you would be much more comfortable that way."

Garrus led them through the dark and still mostly sleeping city, through side alleys and branch roads until they finally reached a back entrance like so many others. He knocked on the door in a specific pattern and was ushered inside, with Phyliss and Verialyn in tow.

Once inside an elderly small man approached them. "So these are the associates of master Kornalis?" Studying them closer he added "What a waste, selling them to this pig. Such beautiful ladies. At least it will not be hard to make sure you are the ones to be bought today."

Then he added "Is there anything else I can do for you? The master of the Mercurius house hold should be here any minute."

Phyliss looked at the little man and pondered a little until she spoke to him.
"Are going to be sold like this? Shouldn't we dress up and put on some makeup before we are offered?"

Garrus turned to leave while the little man chuckled in response to Phyliss' remark.

"That might be a good idea in another city, but here in Maadorian it is frowned upon. The slave traders agreed upon this almost a hundred years ago. Every slave will be sold without make-up and in plain clothes. Not that the clothes will matter if the buyer is interested" He gave them a weird little smile "and the issue with the make up is mostly for cost saving. If one would start, then everyone would have to do it. All slaves would look more or less equal again, just with some expensive stuff on their face. Therefore we simply omit it."

A servant approached him and whispered in his ear. Once he was finished the slave trader addressed Phyliss and Verialyn again. "I hear the master of the house hold is approaching. If there is anything else I can do for you, you better tell me quickly."

Phyllis frowned. "Can I have a strong drink then?"

"I fear this would be a bad idea. If the buyer smells traces of alcohol in your breath... Speaking of which. Please wait here until he is comfortable, you will be summoned."

With these words the trader left them standing there, while some of the servants brought half a dozen other female slaves in a similar attire into the room, most likely the offer of the day. It took not long until they heard from outside "bring them in, then", and the slaves were led into the main room.

That room was spacious and richly decorated, with white and gold ornamentation covering all the walls. There was even a small fountain in the middle of the room, and the night sky could be seen through a glass roof.

Next to the fountain, on a large divan sat what must have been the master of the house hold. The man was massive. A first guess would put him at something over 50 years, and the decades of good food and lacking physical exertion had caused him to develop a sizable belly, which he was not afraid to display. His head was completely shaven, and his whole upper body was naked except for a heavy gold chain and a sleeveless purple vest that was currently not closed in front, exposing his navel for everyone to see. To compliment that he wore white pants and short brown boots. Next to him sat two guards wearing the uniform of house Mercurius.

As the female slaves paraded in, he followed them with a hungry gaze and mustered each of them intently. Finally all eight girls had positioned themselves in a row before him. The trader now bowed before him and addressed him:

"You see master Verkul, just as I promised. Only the prettiest girls for your perusal."

Verkul just let out a snort and continued to muster the girls. It became soon evident that he was mostly interested in Phyliss and Verialyn. After a while he finally spoke, with a deep and rumbling voice. "These tow, the snake haired one" he pointed at Phyliss "and the black haired one" he pointed at Verialyn "are not too bad." Then he turned directly to the two girls and commanded "You two, take off your clothes."

Phyliss was apalled by the fat man, but realised it was a bad idea to resistance. Anyhow, she didn't like that clothes. She stripped them all off, and stood straight, trying not to look to luscious, and looked somewhere into the ceiling, pouting.

Verialyn slowly undressed as well. Finally she stood there, only wearing her sandals, her clothes forming a pile on the floor next to her. She bent her head slightly forward and was looking at her feet.

"Whoa, now that are some huge tits that girl has" roared Verkul's voice through the room. He lifted himself off the divan and approached Verialyn, now with a hungry glint in his eyes. Once he stood before her he reached out and groped one of her breasts, kneading it. "Feels good. You really have a remarkable rack, my girl." Verialyn just stood there, quiet and unflinching.

Then Verkul moved over to Phyliss, looking at her chest from close up now. "Not quite as large, but large nevertheless. And nicely firm and perky. And those snake hairs are a nice touch as well" As he spoke this his hand reached out for Phyliss' breasts.

Phyliss had often been complimented for her breasts, and quite many hands had touched and kneaded them, but she was really afraid when that large, bulky hand grabbed for them. She could not pull back and stood like being turned to stone (what irony), except her snakes that were twitching and curling like crazy. She looked at the huge man big widened eyes, but didn't dare to utter a word. She would have turned him to stone at any other place, but she knew she could not this time.

"Oh, I see you are happy to have me fondle you" Verkul said to Phyliss with a vile grin towards her writhing snakes. With that his had closed around her breast and started to knead. He was not overly rough either, inconsiderate more than anything else.

Finally he was finished with his examination of Phyliss, and went over to the trader. Together they retreated to a back room, most likely to discuss the price. One of the servants meanwhile spoke to Phyliss and Verialyn "You can dress again now".

"If you can call that stuff "dress"". snapped Phyliss back. She put he "clothes" on, because there was nothing else she could do. She loathed Verkul, and was rather happy that he had shown more affection towards Verialynn.
"If you hang that bulk into your larder, you have supplies for month." she whispered into the vampires ear.

Verialyn started dressing at the same time that Phyliss did. She had to think back on Verkul's treatment of her. It seemed obvious that he was for some reason fascinated with her body. Maybe a suppressed longing for his mother?

She had to smile at the gorgon's remark, and retorted with a whisper: "But that would not be a very healthy diet. Think of all the cholesterol in his blood."

Phyliss wanted to make another remark, but the door opened.
"I think they have settled the price now. I guess we are a bargain." she said quickly to Verialynn.

"Since we are priceless we are a bargain no matter what" Verialyn replied before returning to her quiet pose.

Verkul and the slave trader entered the room again, and their expressions and gestures made it clear that they had come to an agreement. Verkul turned to Phyliss and Verialyn and with a happy smile said "You two belong to house Mercurius now, congratulations. Now come along."

With a last good-bye wave to the trader he turned and started to leave through the door. His two guards stayed behind for now, to make sure that the new purchases would follow.

Phyliss trotted behind Verkul, flanked by the guards. Verialynn was close to her, but she didn't speak to her. Some people stared at them, but luckily the streets weren't so crowded yet, and they didn't use the mean street. They reached the mansion, or rather the palace, soon. It was one of the places she usually would have approved of. But today everything was different, she had to use the back entrace with the guards. Verkul grinned, as he turned to the main entrance.
"I leave you alone for now, my pretty ones, but I will introduce you to your new master later. There are some preparations to be made for that. And one thing more, you will better behave. He knows how to take care of the unruly ones."
He grinned and walked away, looking like a very proud elephant.
Phyliss pulled a face as they were lead inside through the servants door.
"I wonder if our new owner can be any worse then this hideous thing." she hissed.

Verialyn replied "Trust me, he can. From what I have seen so far, Verkul is 'just' ugly and horny. There are worse things."

Another tired looking servant approached them once they were inside and led them down a corridor to their quarters - if they could be called as such. It was no more than an unadorned room with two small windows, containing eight simple beds and four crude wardrobes.

The servant pointed to two of the beds and one wardrobe and mumbled a short "These are yours, wait here until you are called." Then he turned and left the room.

"They are not going to present us this way, will they?!" Phyliss opened the wardrobes, to see what was inside.

"Well, they could always strip us naked instead." Verialyn shrugged with her shoulders. "Sooner or later we will most likely end up that way anyways."

The three wardrobes not assigned to them contained some plain clothes, shoes and the occasional towel, while their own wardrobe so far was completely empty.