The Concept of Freedom

[slippedhalo]

Eloriel was all action and decision, a comforting strength to Aaja. She softly questioned her lover over the choice for mourning services for her mother and over what they would do with the body, coaxing the information from the grieving young woman without her barely knowing what was being asked.

Aaja took Shiro into her arms and they cried together as Jessiwe and Eloriel lifted the folded top of the blanket up from Ferey's chest to cover her face up to her closed eye-lids, which remained uncovered. By, her people's traditions, Jessiwe used body paint given to her by Eloriel to paint a seaside on one eyelid and a mountain top with a setting sun on the other. They believe they paint the setting of the deceased's first after-life visions onto their eye-lids to send them off with peaceful and comforting surroundings to attune to the afterlife in. Aaja nodded her approval of the paint job when Jessiwe was finished.

Meanwhile, Eloriel had been out to the garden and gathered some flowers and scented herbs to adorn Ferey's hair, placing one flower in the woman's folded hands. With a sigh, she gave the order for the servants to bring the pallet outdoors. Aaja and Shiro had an incense bonfire to make. Their mother's body would become an aromatic pile of ash, after two days of burning the ash would be gathered and spread into a garden of her honor.

 

[Otto26]

As Castor passed into the cloister he found a cluster of people coming down the stairs.

"Shiro and I will build a pyre, my Lord," Aaja explained. "This duty falls to the family."

Castor considered this statement for several moments and then followed them out the back gate to the verge. Wordlessly he began to gather wood into his arms and bring it back to where Aaja stood. He placed the first bundle down where she could add it to a pyre and turned to go back for another load. Her hand on his arm stopped him and he looked at her for a long moment, neither one saying a word. Then she smiled at him and let him get back to work.

Castor and Shiro did most of the gathering, but not all, and Aaja did most of the arranging, carefully building a pyre platform from the wood they retrieved. It took several hours of work because the verge was the source of firewood for much of the city and was carefully scoured every day by children. Castor had to send a messenger to buy a tree in order for them to have enough wood.

But in the end they had finished and Castor and Shiro went back into the house and carefully brought Ferey's body down to the pyre. Castor stood back and observed, not wanting to interrupt them as they mourned.

 

[slippedhalo]

For two days non-stop Aaja, Shiro and Jessiwe took shifts meditating and saying prayers around the pyre. At least two always on prayer duty as one would occasionally go off to take a short nap and have a bite to eat before joining the mourning ceremony once again, more refreshed than when they had left it. But, as per tradition, the ascending spirit and cremating body were never left alone for even a second.

Others spurratically attended as well, standing in silence to watch the pyre burn and listen to the prayers whispered in a foriegn tongue. Eloriel did most of her chores alone those two days, stopping to check on and attend to her lover and her family whenever she could get away to do so.

By moonrise of the end of the second day Aaja sent for two jugs of water to be brought out from the house. The rest of the servants and residents of the house also came out to witness the completion of the ceremony. Shiro and Aaja poured the jugs onto the embers and ash left after the fire had nearly burned itself out, sang a song in memory of Ferey and then scooped up as much of the ash as possible with their hands, to put into the jugs, which were left on the warm embers to dry.

Aaja announced that in the morning they would choose a place of honor in the garden where they could spread the ashes, unless told otherwise by Castor. She looked up at him, her eyes tired looking from lack of proper sleep and much crying over the past two days. But, her fierceness was not dulled int he least bit despite her fatigue and her eyes themselves still shone with her spirit and intellect. "Castor, is this alright with you?" She knew she might be stepping out of bounds. This was the first time she had not called him Lord or Master when speaking to him but she felt this was not a time for kow-towing but a time where her family must be respected. She would of course repent later if necessary but for now she needed to be strong, not a slave for the moment but the leader of her family and tribe. Tomorrow would be another day and she would willingly step down to the place of slave again. But tonight, she needed equality, for Shiro's sake, for Jessiwe, for her people and her mother's sake.

 

[Otto26]

Castor nodded solemnly in response to Aaja's question. The garden would not suffer for the presence of Ferey's ashes and Aaja would be able to 'visit' her everyday. He left the pyre and walked back into the house with Eloriel trailing him.

With Aaja mourning her mother, Eloriel had taken over all the duties of attending to his needs and desires. He felt a little better after two days in which he had had time to bathe and heal. He had sworn on more than one occasion, as Eloriel applied salve to his thighs and ass, that he was going to personally kill and eat a horse to have his revenge on the equine species. But he hadn't, yet.

In the garden he found Xeres waiting for him. Castor gingerly sat on a bench across from the portly man.

"It's going well," Xeres said. "The Council has begun investigating the slavers and their connection with the brigands. Portia's spies tell us that Horatius has already begun severing his ties with them. What connections the investigators do find will be covered up, of course, but at least we'll have divorced Horatius from his private army."

"My conduct?" Castor asked.

Xeres waved his hand. "You'll receive the thanks of the Council. They wanted to condemn you for that real estate dealing. Really, Castor, was it necessary to buy up all the farms?"

"I didn't buy all the farms, I invested in them."

"Except the ones where owners couldn't be found, yes I know. You've utterly infuriated Horatius, you know. He was planning on confiscating those farms for non-payment of taxes. Breaking up his plan was one thing, stealing his thunder is something else all together. Ironically, the real estate deal has made many in the Council far more comfortable with you. A principled man acting in the best interests of the state is a thing of nightmare for many of them. A man who turns unrest to his advantage well... they see that man in the mirror every morning." Xeres laughed, a good natured and somewhat cynical sound.

Castor shrugged. "It was a good idea. Horatius spoiled the plan by being greedy and heavy-handed. And if I did take advantage of the situation I also acted in the interests of the state."

"Horatius tells himself that every time he does something underhanded," Xeres rejoined him.

"But I don't imagine myself as the state," Castor countered.

Xeres shrugged. "The Council will be sending emissaries to neighboring states. To mend fences and officially assess the damage done by the brigands raiding across the borders. Don't be surprised if you are selected. Horatius wants you out of the way and many in the Council would like to see an energetic man expend his energies far from them. We're fighting your selection, but we might lose. Hard to tell at this point."

"A trip might not be bad. If I can go West to Artan then perhaps I can find out if these rumors have any truth to them."

"I doubt they'd send you West. Your views regarding Artan are well known. North maybe, since it has become public knowledge that you have contacts there. Did you really send men North to find the dying mother of one of your slaves?"

Castor shrugged and nodded towards the open gate and the remains of the pyre beyond it. "Seemed like the decent thing to do," he said.

"Did you at least find a slave for Portia?"

"Portia can find her own slaves," Castor stated. He rose as Aaja and Shiro walked into the garden. "Aaja, you'll remember Lord Xeres. And this is Aaja's brother Shiro, a very brave young man who has been a great help. He'll be staying here as one of my clients for a time."

If Xeres was at all puzzled by Castor's behavior it didn't show. The man had been a politician all his life. He smiled at Aaja. "You look as lovely as the last time I saw you, Aaja. I was very sorry to hear about your mother. I was just telling Castor about the Council's investigation into his actions in Ruique. We think all will be well."

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja bowed before Lord Xeres and Shiro simply nodded his head in recognition of a friend of a friend.

Aaja and Shiro looked exhausted and she knew Xeres's comment about her appearance was one of politeness more than truth. She listened to the news of their campaign and answered on both matters with one statement, "Thank you, Lord Xeres, your kindness will be remembered." she said.

"Jessiwe...I...go where to...now?" asked Shiro in his attempts at common tongue. He wanted to know the fate of he and his cousin. Aaja had told him that a slave had been promised to an associate of Castors and he was half wondering if this person had come t collect on that promise and to take either him, Jessiwe or both to work in another house. In all honesty, Shiro would not mind working for Castor or any other as kind as he was if it meant he would be treated as well as he had by Castor's men the past few weeks. But, slavery was still slavery and held much danger and fear for the boy. He liked that Castor referred to him as a young man. He felt much older than his thirteen years the past couple of months.

Aaja looked at her brother with understanding and explained his question further to Castor. "I think he believes Lord Xeres has come to take him or Jessiwe away to Mistress Portia." she said.

 

[Otto26]

"You go to the foyer, Shiro. You will serve and work here with my other clients. Jessiwe..." Castor trailed off. "I am undecided on the fate of Jessiwe. Being the semi-skilled politician I am, however, I have a solution. Jessiwe is your responsibility, Aaja. You will decide her fate and you will answer for her behavior while she is in this house."

It was cowardly, Castor knew, to pass the decision on, particularly when Aaja was as emotionally exhausted as she was. But Aaja would know Jessiwe's mind better than he and if she decided to free Jessiwe it wouldn't be seized upon by his political enemies as a weakness. Sending her to Portia would be the simplest solution, and it would help to cement their political alliance. But it was mostly because of that that he would not make the decision himself; he wouldn't wring this bit of political advantage out of the blood of Aaja's family. Not under these circumstances.

"If you're referring to the one with the marking on her body I don't know if Portia would want her," Xeres commented. "Portia's quite vain about some things, surrounds herself with beautiful people, slave and free."

"She's still beautiful, Xeres," Castor protested. "And if she's half as intelligent as Aaja then Portia will enjoy her company."

Xeres laughed. "As recently as five years ago I would have discounted that. Now, a woman that stimulates my mind is a treasure without price. You've come to wisdom early."

"No, you simply came to it late," Castor retorted.

They shared a laugh at this.

"I'm for bed," Xeres declared. "Tomorrow will be another long day listening to Horatius' toadies attempting to eloquently paint you as the worst kind of schemer. Won't work, the Council is full of schemers and they know you aren't in their number, and they won't even be eloquent. Oh, I almost forgot! Do you know anything about a comic play that deals with a powerful politician and bumbling slavers?"

"Are you asking as a member of the Council or an interested friend?"

"A member of the Council."

"Never heard of it. Is it new?"

"Very. And popular with the lower classes. It portrays slavers in a very poor light and the nameless politician is practically in the dark. Maybe we should get some concessions and let Horatius have you sent far away from
the Capitol for a time. You're trouble," Xeres grumped as he laboriously rose and stumped out into the foyer.

"Bed sounds like a good idea," Castor said. "Will you be joining us, Aaja?"

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja nodded, eager to return to some sense of normalcy. She kissed Shiro on both cheeks and bade him goodnight. She could see it still bothered him to think that she shared a bed with a man who claimed to have ownership of her but she was quite happy this way so he kept his thoughts to himself on the matter. Aaja decided she would talk to Jessiwe in the morning about her options.

She knew being freed as things stood in the world outside those gates wasn't exactly appealing, especially given her 'damage' to the aft side of her body and to her 'treasure', she would be considered quite useless to most men as a potential wife. Aaja imagined she'd be able to find work as a dancer or working for an artisan but it might not be much better treatment than slavery in the towns as she had seen them among ignorant people who would treat her like she was stupid simply because of a foreign accent to her speech and another way of thinking about the world. At least at Mistress Portia's Aaja knew what would be expected of Jessiwe and she knew that it was likely she would not be adverse to it. Jessiwe would have a fine home and good food, and perhaps one day an education if Portia grew to be as kind as Castor was. Then, Aaja and Shiro might get occasion to see their cousin as well being that Castor and Portia were friendly associates with one another. Aaja had to remember to bring all of these points up tomorrow in her talk with Jessiwe and let the girl tell her own thoughts on the matter since it affected the course of her life.

Aaja wearily followed Castor up to their bedroom. Eloriel wrapped an arm around her waist protectively and Aaja rested her head on El's shoulder as they made their way to the room. Tomorrow her mother would be rested in the garden, hoepfully all pain long forgotten and left behind on this plane of existence as she passed on to the afterlife, and the house could resume it's normal rhythm again.

 

[Otto26]

Castor stripped his clothing off and crawled into bed. Eloriel insisted upon bathing Aaja before they climbed between the clean sheets, so Aaja stood still while Eloriel sponged her clean and dried her. Castor found the scene fascinating and watched raptly as Eloriel ran the sponge and towel over Aaja in the flickering lamp-light. The two women crawled into bed with him, Eloriel pulling Aaja into a tangled face to face embrace and softly stroking her hair. Castor spooned against Aaja, possessively resting a hand on her belly and kissing her neck.

"Sleep, pretty Aaja," he whispered.

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja felt secure lying between both lovers, each had their arms around her protectively and she savored the feeling of truly being cared for. Not for the first time she expressed herself to both at once by whispering into the darkness, "I love you. Thank you." before settling into a deep slumber.

 

[Otto26]

The rising sun woke Castor and he extricated himself from the nightly tangle of women. Aaja was exhausted, but Eloriel could sleep through anything. For a minute he considered testing that hypothesis in a very pleasant way, but he was too enthralled by them to disturb their sleep. They were angelic in the morning light, completely unguarded, without fears or cares. He sat on the window seat for several minutes and let it warm his body as the sight before him warmed his heart.

Eventually he rose and pulled on a tunic and sandals and walked down to the kitchen. Jessiwe, he saw, was already awake and helping with the chores. She tried to make a full bow when she spied him but Cesta rapped her on the head with a wooden spoon.

"None of that nonsense when you're working in the kitchen. The Lord likes to see people working."

"Indeed I do," Castor commented as he gratefully accepted a bowl of gruel. "There is a time and a place for everything, Jessiwe. The kitchen is a place for work. Did you sleep well?"

The woman looked nervous. "Yes, Lord."

"Good. I haven't decided what to do with you yet. If you have a preference, tell Aaja."

Jessiwe nodded and went back to her work. Castor turned and walked out of the kitchen.

"Lord?"

Castor turned and saw Meoria had followed him out into the cloister.

"Yes, Meoria?"

The young woman twisted her hands. "What did Jessiwe do? Her owner beat her something terrible."

Castor shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe he enjoyed beating her. Some people enjoy hurting other people."

Meoria swallowed. "When Aaja and Eloriel first got here, we beat them with the switch because they'd left a spot on the floor. Only it wasn't a spot, the tile was bad and we'd never noticed. I never apologized for the mistake. Just left it."

Castor shrugged again. "There's still time," he said.

Meoria nodded. "Why do you love them and not one of us?" she blurted.

Castor wanted to laugh, but suppressed the idea sternly. "Two wives that I cared for died, Meoria. I thought I could avoid entangling my emotions in some woman's life by confining my lusts to slaves. But, that's not what happened. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Just ask young Calodius."

Meoria frowned. "He's a boy," she said scornfully.

"Boys grow into men," Castor replied. "But that's neither here nor there. I haven't picked slaves over anyone. It just happened. I hope my clients will stand by me in this unusual situation."

Meoria's pride was pricked. "We will, Lord. Our oaths are good."

"Thank you, Meoria." Castor walked back towards the bedroom, slowly drinking the gruel as he went.

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja awoke not long after Castor, feeling his absence in their bed. She rose and took out his ink, pen and a sheet of paper. She had the urge to attempt to write something.

I ache yet feel joy
I feel life is a dream yet I have woken from a nightmare
Home is never home when you return to it's ashes
It burns in the night, it is buried in the dawn.
My past is behind me, a childhood of magical wonder.
My future, of learning, of loving, of light.
I cannot be sad for long in this hopeful world.
We will not be sad forever.

Aaja stopped and reread what she had just expressed. She wasn't even sure why she had written it but as soon as the words were on the page she felt lighter, like weight had been lifted. She decided she must write a little every day.

Eloriel was stirring as she completed her writing and she kissed her lover good morning with a passionate tongue, which led to passionate kissing of other sorts. In the early morning hours the girls lapped up each other's nectar and awoke to the new day with sighs of pleasure instead of yawns.

Once they were finished making love they rose officially to tidy the room up a little and then breakfast was brought up to them. They ate quickly. Shiro was waiting in the courtyard to finish their mother's ceremony. She was to be buried this morning.

On the way out to the courtyard Aaja found Jessiwe and the discussed the options over where she should live. Jessiwe expressed curiosity about this Mistress Portia. "I would like to meet her first. Do you think that is possible?" she asked.

Aaja shrugged, "I can ask Lord Castor if you and she can meet. She also needs to decide if she would like you too." she said before greeting her brother with a kiss on both cheeks. It was time to bury their mother.

 

[Otto26]

Castor encountered Aaja and Eloriel in the garden. He smiled approvingly at the standing bows they gave him and collected a kiss from each of them. He fancied he tasted more than mouth in their kisses.

"You've been playing," he chuckled. He gave Aaja's ass a squeeze and she grinned.

"Yes, Lord. My Lord, may Jessiwe meet Lady Portia before I decide what is to be done with her?" she asked.

Castor considered this for a moment before replying, "Yes, I'll invite her to dinner tonight. After your chores and lessons Eloriel will give you both quick lessons in dancing so that you all can dance tonight. But for now I believe we need to finish with your mother's rites?"

 

[slippedhalo]

Castor encountered Aaja and Eloriel in the garden. He smiled approvingly at the standing bows they gave him and collected a kiss from each of them. He fancied he tasted more than mouth in their kisses.

"You've been playing," he chuckled. He gave Aaja's ass a squeeze and she grinned.

"Yes, Lord. My Lord, may Jessiwe meet Lady Portia before I decide what is to be done with her?" she asked.

Castor considered this for a moment before replying, "Yes, I'll invite her to dinner tonight. After your chores and lessons Eloriel will give you both quick lessons in dancing so that you all can dance tonight. But for now I believe we need to finish with your mother's rites?"

Aaja nodded, "Yes, Lord, we'll be but a moment." she said, backing away to take the jug of ashes that Shiro handed to her. He held the other solumnly. They had chosen a spot beneath a blooming bush near the gate so Ferey could bless all who enter and leave with her graceful presence. Shiro had already prepared everything. They spread her ashes among the base of the bush and then knealt to whisper one last goodbye, biding what ever was left of her spirit farewell and to encourage her to move on and be with the ancestors if she was at all lingering.

Afterward, she and Shiro accepted the blessings and well wishes of some of the staff who had come to observe and then it was over. Shiro had work to do, learning how to properly groom and shoe a working horse and Aaja and Eloriel had lessons to attend to. Jessiwe was sent to help the maids and kitchen staff throughout the day depending on where they decided they would need her at differing times of day until it would be time for her to learn to dance with her cousins, and prepare for Mistress Portia's arrival.

 

[Otto26]

The day passed slowly for Castor. While Horatius ensured the investigation dragged on he was forced to hold himself in semi-seclusion. He could go to the baths, but almost everyone he normally associated with would be required, by custom and law, to ignore him. He spent his time going over the raw data Mistress Gemina had compiled. The social customs of Aaja and Eloriel's people was fascinating for both abstract and personal reasons.

The overall culture was unlike anything he had seen in other human societies, which was an indication that their people might not be human in the strictest sense of the word. Added to that was the evidence of Eloriel's history. She didn't know who her father was, but based on the information she had provided Castor suspected a Faerie-Elf. That was unusual in itself, for Elves of both types did not frequently associate with humans and when they might deign to consort with one there was rarely a child.

The suspicion made sense, and would explain why Eloriel was more of an intuitive person than Aaja. But it could equally well simply be normal variation. The gods knew that Castor hadn't overly resembled his father in most ways.

Their people, as a whole, seemed superficially like the wandering nomads that passed through the other human societies. But only when looked at casually. Aaja's people were semi-nomadic. The women lived in small settlements within the range of land controlled by their tribe. Within those settlements they formed households in which women, lovers, lived. Strangely, women were entirely subordinate to their fathers and then to their husbands. They enjoyed about the same status as a slave. But the woman could chose which household she joined and the man had no say in the matter. The status of a man within a settlement was also closely related to the household his wife belonged too.

But the men were almost never in the settlements. They tended to roam the land in small bands. They herded animals, they trapped and hunted, they sought out exotic items and they travelled to trading camps to exchange those items with merchants from the civilized lands or other tribes. Warfare, between the tribes, was highly structured and largely ritual.

Of course, ritual and structure defined much of the rest of their lives. After reading their purity laws Castor all but gave up on the idea of suggesting that Jessiwe be sent back North to work in the trading post Timasius was building. By their customs, Jessiwe was polluted to the point that her presence might be insulting. He began to appreciate the emotional distance that Shiro seemed to hold himself at. His sister was 'polluted' but he wasn't ostracizing her as he had been educated to do.

The whole matter made him itch uncomfortably and he was glad for the excuse of preparing for dinner to drag himself away from the manuscripts. His messenger had reported that Portia was extremely excited by his invitation. He suspected she believed he was going to give Jessiwe to her. Xeres would have reported the presence of a new slave in Castor's house and Portia would undoubtedly harbor the hope. He was a friend, after all. And he was. But he was uncomfortable with the idea of selling a slave, even gifting.

The politician in him thought the idea both good and bad. It would be good to further cement his alliance with Portia, but it might be bad to do it too soon. As it stood, Portia had agents seeking for Aaja's sisters and cousins. If she had Jessiwe would she continue to do so?

He was pondering this question even as Portia arrived in her palanquin. He assisted her out of the conveyance as his staff bowed, Aaja, Eloriel, and Jessiwe making a full bow.

"Another one!" Portia exclaimed. "You're a greedy bastard, Castor," she stated.

Castor laughed. "My parents were very definitely married, Portia. Don't be petty *and* inaccurate."

Portia laughed in return. "And a boy," she noted Shiro. "But you've got him with your clients. Have you begun recruiting in a different area?"

Castor led Portia towards the dining room. "I have. My plans are a little unformed at the moment, but the report Timasius sent me, and the information Aaja and Eloriel have provided to Mistress Gemina, have spurred my imagination. The North is an area that is... unstructured. It has never been economically desireable, so no one has ever bothered to unite or conquer the area. But it's also an area that borders on the K'zin plains, Artan, and the elven forests. If I had ready access to local scouts and, perhaps, some pre-positioned supplies, then I might take an army rapidly to an enemy's flanks or rear."

"Do you ever stop plotting?" Portia teased as she lowered herself onto a dining couch.

Castor shrugged and glanced over at the slaves, attired in jewelry and nothing else, preparing to serve wine. "Every once in a while," he replied.

Portia followed his gaze and smiled. "Yes, I imagine you do. How will you get access to local scouts? Your slaves?"

Castor shook his head. "If I'm understanding Lomnaajiien culture correctly the males would find their presence insulting. And they are likely to view my ownership as a challenge to their ownership. Hmm... I'm not expressing that well. I'll send copies of the manuscripts over and you can judge for yourself. No, I'll do what I always do. I'll invest."

"With the men?"

Castor smiled. "No, the women. The men may dominate the women, but only infrequently. The women are the real custodians of that society. When I have them in my camp and little diplomatic folderol will put the men in my camp."

"And what will you do with them?" she asked curiously as Eloriel poured a cup of wine for her. Castor noticed, in passing, that Aaja had Jessiwe acting as a reserve, passing items to Eloriel or Aaja as needed while Aaja, as the senior, served Castor and Eloriel served Portia.

"Maps, to begin with. That information alone would recoup my investments and be an enormous strategic resource. I'll follow up with trading posts to get goods out of their lands and finance the rest of my efforts. The trading posts will offer training and medical services as well as some trade goods. Mostly they'll be a cultural invasion. The Lomnaajii will start to see the benefits of a single legal tradition and I believe I can help those that become my partners prosper in a less nomadic lifestyle. I hope to end up with an extensive trading network, and a large social network that I can draw on in need."

Portia sipped at her wine and tried one of the finger foods that Eloriel offered while she pondered this. "What effect will this have on their culture?"

"Hard to say. I imagine that women will not be content with the status quo when the men are home and throwing their weight around for longer periods. Their culture might realign along more liberal lines. They might become more rigid as men wax lyrically about the good old days when a woman knew her place. It's up to them." He let Aaja re-fill his cup while he popped a pastry into his mouth.

"Perhaps we should simply leave them alone," Portia suggested.

"Is that what you told your agents looking for Aaja's sisters and cousins?" Castor replied.

Portia laughed. "You're a bastard, Castor, whatever your parents' relationship. My agents have followed some leads, but they've reported no success. And they would; I've offered a sizeable bonus. I may have to increase the bonus now that you're playing around up North; there won't be many slaves coming from that area, will there?"

"Not likely. Lomnaajia, well, that's not the proper name, but they only have a name for the people, not the land. Anyway, it's not the Empire. I can crucify slavers I find there without fear of reprisal, and so can my clients. A good way to thin the ranks of vermin," Castor stated.

"Who will the slavers rally round now that Horatius won't touch them? They're going to be out for your blood soon," Portia commented.

Castor shrugged. "I had heard a rumor they were going to form an association and enlarge one of their own. We'll see how that works out. But enough business for the moment. I want to taunt you some more. Eloriel, let's see how well you trained your students."

 

[slippedhalo]

Eloriel looked to Jessiwe who nodded her readiness nervously and Aaja who calmly stepped forward to join them. This dance was a simple one and one where Eloriel and Aaja let their cousin shine.

Jessiwe was more self-conscious of her naked back then of her dance as she had proven a quick study in movement. But, she worried if this woman would jusge her harshly for her scars which up until the moment of their dance's beginning, had been well hidden by her long hair and the backs of her legs simply not visible as she knealt facing Castor and his friend. But, in her movements she was now certain all of her shame was quite visible for all to see.

She blushed as she caught Mistress Portia's eyes widening in the course of one of her twirls and the confirmation was there in the woman's face that she had seen, but what would she say about it? It could go either way, cruelty or kindness. When the dance was finsiehd, she stood between her cousins and they knealt to a full bow in unison and Jessiwe awaited the response of this new person to her dance and to the damage done to her by her former master.

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja and Eloriel both shared a look between them as they wondered what Mistress Portia would say.

 

[Otto26]

"A very disobedient slave?" Portia asked, tilting her chin towards Jessiwe.

Castor shrugged. "Not that I'm aware of. Are you a disobedient slave, Jessiwe?"

The woman shook her head quickly. "No, Lord. I obey."

"I think her former owner just enjoyed beating her," Castor opined. "She's been very well behaved since she arrived here and my men had nothing but good to say about her."

Portia shot Castor a look that almost made him spit his drink.

"No," he hastened to clarify, "she wasn't sleeping with any of them."

"And you're still not going to share any of them with me, are you?" Portia asked rhetorically. "Really, Castor, I'm going to have to start bringing my own wine and slaves to your dinners. And then what's the point of even leaving my home?"

"The virtuous Lady Portia would be involved in sex at a bachelor's house? The shame."

Portia responded with a rude noise and gesture. "They already say that. Half of them are convinced I'm fucking you and the other half are afraid the rumor is true. It's not a bad idea," she finished meditatively.

This time Castor did spew his wine, choking on it and her words. Portia laughed delightedly.

"You're so easy," she crowed. "A real bastard would have dickered about dowry and commented about used goods and demanded to see what he was buying. That's part of what makes you pleasant company. Oh, don't look so shocked! You're enough of a schemer that you've thought of the idea. I'll confess I'm a little hurt you haven't pursued me, but I assume you have your reasons. And don't tell me what they are. I cherish my ignorance of some subjects. Tell me, instead, how you're going to avoid death by sexual exhaustion with these three in your bed."

Castor, despite his shock, had to admire Portia. More than anyone he knew she had the ability to live her life exactly as she pleased and she seized that opportunity with both hands and squeezed.

"Rotational schedule," he deadpanned. "In truth I haven't decided what to do with Jessiwe yet."

"Well, if you decide to sell her you must offer me the first chance to purchase her. I'll never forgive you if you don't and I'm not joking."

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja knew she had been promised she could decide Jessiwe's fate but she would not make a choice that would make her cousin unhappy. She eyed Jessiwe with a questioning glance that obviously asked, 'Is it alright with you to go with her?'

Jessiwe looked Mistress Portia over from her kneeling vantage point for a long second before nodding to Aaja. 'It's alright.'

Aaja then rose from her knees to approach Castor from the side and whisper into his ear, "Lord, Jessiwe says she does not object to the idea of serving Mistress Portia in her home. You said it was my choice and I choose what she decides would make her happy. She would rather be the first and perhaps only of Mistress Portia's Lomnaajii than the third of Lord Castor's."

 

[Otto26]

It was, strictly speaking, rude for a person of lesser status to interrupt the conversation of two people of superior status, and for a slave to do so when the superiors were nobles was even worse. But Castor didn't mind and Portia didn't seem to.

"You're not going to tell me what that was about, are you?" Portia asked.

Castor considered the idea for a moment and then shook his head. "No. But I'll give you that opportunity to buy Jessiwe if you're serious."

Portia's eyes widened. "I'm serious. Are you?"

"Would you stop your agents looking for the others if you owned Jessiwe?"

Portia laughed and waved her hand dismissively. "When have I ever practiced moderation? I'd like to have more than one. My agents will keep looking."

"Done, then. Jessiwe is yours. Crawl to your owner, Jessiwe," Castor ordered.

Nervously the young woman crawled over to Portia's couch and made a full bow before rising into a kneeling position. "I obey, Lady. Please not beat me."

Portia reached out a hand to stroke her cheek. "So long as you obey you will never feel the touch of the lash. I promise this."

Castor wondered if Aaja and Jessiwe had any idea how many slaves Portia owned. Jessiwe might be the first Lomnaajii in Portia's house, but she was far from the first slave. The thought triggered the thought that Aaja was a very intelligent woman and surely knew this, which placed her words in a new light. He wondered if, perhaps, this was an aspect of Lomnaajiien culture. How were female households begun? He couldn't recall if Mistress Gemina had addressed the idea and wondered if he was seeing a form of the process. Aaja and Eloriel considered themselves a household, even if they were slaves, and Aaja was the leader of the household. Jessiwe might be one of many slaves in Portia's house, but if Portia found other Lomnaajii then Jessiwe might become the head of her own household. He filed the idea for later examination and returned his attention to Portia.

The woman was sitting upright now, legs on either side of Jessiwe as her hands softly stroked the slave. The young woman trembled lightly as Portia's hands explored her, tenderly but with undeniable authority. Idly Castor amended his thought, wondering how a Lomnaajien slave household would be structured if the owner was a powerful and very amorous but not Lomnaajiien female.

 

[slippedhalo]

"Look up a moment, Jessiwe. I want to see your eyes." ordered Portia with her hand moving up from Jessiwe's breast and neck to her jaw, tilting her chin upward.

Jessiwe followed the order, looking apprehensively into her Mistress's eyes as the other smiled at her.

"Blue, with little flecks of green, very pretty. And, long blond eyelashes, plump lips...tell me, my pet, have you pleased women with those lips before?" asked Portia softly.

Jessiwe nodded shyly, "Yes, Mistress, I had a 'companion', Meestra. I pleased her well."

"Mmmm-hmmm, and would you be adverse to pleasing your new Mistress when asked to join me in my bedchamber?"

Jessiwe shook her head, "Not at all, Mistress. I am obedient." she said, blushing slightly as Portia let go of her jaw and she was able to look back down at her lap again. "I will pleasure you if you want me to." she concluded.

 

[Otto26]

Portia glanced over at Castor and smiled beatifically as she began hiking her dress up. "Yes, Jessiwe, I do want you to pleasure me."

She laughed like a bell when she saw Castor's expression. "New money. So desperate to be accepted that you rigidly adhere to the public standards of morality with a fanatic's fervor. You've shared a slave at dinner parties, but because I'm a woman it's different? Please," she said scornfully. "Besides, it really does accrue to your benefit that people think we're sexually close. They whisper that virtuous Castor would not trifle with a noble woman unless he was courting her. And your opponents hear the talk and fear what you might do with my money, and dread the idea that I might actually be an obedient wife pushing your agenda. Besides," she added as she finished exposing herself and firmly pulled Jessiwe's face towards her, "I want her."

Castor heard the raw hunger that lived in Portia's last statement and was forced to admit the truth of her arguments. He had shared slaves at parties and the only difference here was Portia's sex. Still, the situation nagged at his sense of propriety. He snapped his fingers and Eloriel and Aaja turned their heads away from Portia and Jessiwe to look at him.

"Wine, Eloriel. Aaja," he paused and smiled, "come to me."

 

[slippedhalo]

Jessiwe regarded the display of female flesh before her, she could smell the desire for her coming from Mistress Portia's sex and it had indeed been a very long time since Jessiwe had last been with a woman in this way and she missed it dearly. She also realized this may be a sort of test of her sexual prowess after having factually told of how well she had pleased her companion but perhaps was heard as bragging by this woman who did not know her people's ways. She took one glance up at Portia's face and nodded with conviction. This was the person she belonged to now and she had promised to obey. She'd promised to please her and she would.

With no cares over whether the others watched or not she pressed her body up against the now bare legs of Portia, gently nudging them even further apart as she sunk her face past the folds of her robes, still keeping her covered from the waist up, and delved with full gusto into pleasuring her new mistress with her tongue and lips as ordered to do. The first taste was intoxicating. Indeed, she'd almost forgotten how sweet a woman's nectar could be after so many weeks of salty and bitter men's organs. But, her Mistress took care of herself and was as sweet as a seventeen year old.

Jessiwe thrilled at the sounds of pleasure she induced from Mistress Portia in her ministerings and it only encouraged her to suck and pull that pearl a little harder and faster, dip her tongue as deep as she could. She worked this woman's sex like one savoring their first meal in weeks... indeed, in a way it was.

 

[Otto26]

Aaja swayed to Castor's feet on her hands and knees, a soft smile on her face. Beyond her Castor could see Portia hunched over Jessiwe and hear the soft, wet sounds of Jessiwe's industrious efforts and the self-satisfied mewling of Portia. He took hold of Aaja's collar and raised her to her feet, turning her about so that she faced away from him and bent her over.

Eloriel knelt to one side of him with a fresh cup of wine in her outstretched arms. He paused and took the cup, sipping at it before handing it back to Eloriel to hold for him. He ran his hands over Aaja's flesh, thighs and ass. He smiled as his hand cupped her sex; it was warm to the touch and already kissed by dew. He rubbed softly, pressing upward against her clitoris with one finger.

Across from him Portia was leaning back and lifting her legs, draping first one and then the other over Jessiwe's shoulders. One hand was knotted in Jessiwe's hair and Portia was reaching into her robes to toy with a lush breast.

"Very good, my pet," Portia breathed. "Ssssss! Very, very good."

 

[slippedhalo]

Aaja was a little surprised as Castor bent her over and began to fondle her, only because he had not made use of her gifts in such a public fashion before. Then again, it was hard not to feel some excitement upon hearing and seeing Jessiwe and Mistress Portia at play. As his hands slid over her moist sex she moaned softly, but gasped as he began fondling her pleasure pearl. She hoped he wanted her as badly as she wanted him at that moment.


"Very good, my pet," Portia breathed. "Ssssss! Very, very good."

and Jessiwe smiled against the soft wetness, feeling instictually that Portia was likely to spill her nectar at any moment. Jessiwe felt she had made her point quite well and enjoyed every second of making it.

 

[Otto26]

Portia

Portia leaned back against one hand and breathed deeply as Jessiwe warmed her body and sent spikes of pleasure rippling through her. The ripples built into waves that grew larger until she finally crested. She moaned in delight and her hand pushed Jessiwe's face tightly to her sex as her legs pulled the slave closer. Her hands toyed with her nipples, adding more sensation to each wave of pleasure.

She melted back down onto the couch, pulling away from Jessiwe's delightful lips. "Refill my cup, Jessiwe," she ordered.

"Yes, Lady," the slave replied. She rose and walked over to the table where the wine jug sat and brought it over to carefully refill the cup Portia held in her hands. When she was done, she returned to kneel next to Portia.

Portia, eyes fixed on Castor and Aaja, reached down to place one of Jessiwe's hands between her wet thighs. "Use your hand now, Jessiwe," she instructed.

Castor had pulled Aaja down onto his cock and Portia could plainly see it embedded within the slave. Castor's hands, meanwhile, were toying with Aaja's pearl and her breasts. The flush growing upon Aaja's face and chest spoke of her enjoyment and, not for the first time, Portia regretted that the rumors weren't true. Castor seemed like that all too rare free male, one concerned with his partner's pleasure.

She wondered, sometimes, what drove that concern. Was it actual care or perhaps a way of expressing his power? Or was it a character flaw, a deeply-rooted need to please people? In any regard, it made the idea of being his sexual partner appealing. But she wasn't particularly enamored of the idea of being a wife again. Imperial law made a wife subject to her husband's will and Castor was such a provincial man in many regards. She strongly suspected the only reason he was sporting with his slave at the moment was out of a sense of politeness; just being a good host. Still, she reflected as Jessiwe's fingers played pleasureably upon and within her, it made a nice show.