originally posted July 24, 2006
The fellow has an eye for detail, I will give him that. There are those who say they 'never forget a face' and, perhaps, Clark of Thentis is one of those fellows.
He stared for a time at my Joy during the feast, a knit to his brow, finally asking me, "She is tall."
I nodded, "Yes, a few horts shy of four a'hil."
He then questioned her. "You are barbarian," he said. "From what Earth city?"
"Yes, Master," she said to him. "Washington. The Distict of Columbia."
I remember thinking that Earth cities, like their women, sometimes have pretentious names. 'Washington. The District of Columbia' seems like a lot of words to distinguish one breeding pit for slaves from tens of thousands of others on that world, but I digress.
"We picked you up for Tenalion of Ar. You have been on this world in the neighborhood of ten years," he mentioned.
"Yes, Master," she answered him, seeming a bit shaken.
I wondered over it a while, why he would remember my Sandal from countless other acquisitions, but ultimately decided it would have been her hair. Auburn. Red-brown. Russet. Whatever you choose to call it, it is rare on my world. Some say prized. At one point in her career as a slave, before she even was made aware that she was such a woman, working away at being a modern woman on another planet, a self-indulgent tarnsman with a generous salary requested her, such a woman. He put in the order. How she ended up on my chain is well documented. I suppose it would be an amusing anecdote for him, at most, but it had value to me. The records I have list Tenalion as her initial owner. I had not known she had a connection to at least one other House, however indirectly. I suppose, thinking on it, that most women acquired for the planet are brought here by a select few Houses. My grasp on the Second Knowledge is not what it might be, but I think I know enough to assume that not every Slaver or even slaving house, no matter how large, has the means to circumnavigate brilliant tor-tu-gor for the purpose of fetching fresh meat. So she was, at least for the journey from one world to another, until signatures and stamps and such effecting her transfer to Tenalion of Ar, property of Clark of Thentis. I was pleased to have the knowledge.
Clark's women, the brace of Phais, Elsa and Tellia, for the record, were brilliant at the feast last evening. The three of them, in deference to the free women present, both Arjentia and the lofty, many-veiled companion of our host, were garbed modestly in opaque chalwar and halters. Each held a wide ribbon longer than the length of her own body. In a practiced effort, those ribbons swirled about there bodies, above and around them, like a colorful, fluttering cage to the rhythm of three drums, two kaska and one tabor, and the swirl of a double flute.
Elise and Samantha, indulged not so secretly by their mistress, given nibbles of fruit during the feast, were beauties last evening. I wanted their hair up, well above the shoulders, braided, with the buds of the northern veminium woven into the plaits. This was done. They set one another off well; tan, fair-haired Samantha beside the darkly-maned, pale Elise. Theirs was a role of decorum, rather like lovely accessories for their mistress. I have conveniently failed to note the coddling gestures Arjentia heaped upon them. They performed their duty well enough that I can overlook a ta grape or two tossed their way. They, too, readied the woman to whom I am companioned well.
Nirah, indulged with a new piercing through her septum, larger than the first, attended Vesutto throughout the evening. I commanded her to bathe herself for no less than an ahn, scrubbing her skin clean, applying scented oils. Her cosmetic was to be subtle, her hair washed and full-bodied. She was audacious to look upon, wearing only a heavy line of khol about her eyes and no other cosmetic. The nosering, freshly placed just that afternoon, did not simply rest above her upper lip, but dangled tauntingly over it. I am well aware of my friend Vesutto's attraction to the dear. I think he was not displeased with her appearance.
I smiled at Emily's arrogance. I permit this attitude, after all. She is a dancer. I think she was not displeased to be knelt near the table of Clark while her rival at the En'kara Fair, Phais, was commanded to dance in the background, scarcely noticed. It has been some time now since she danced publically. I have not decided if I will, as before, dance her on the road. It was profitable, of course, but there is something to be said about withholding a pleasure from men, making them want it all the more.
"Where is Emily?"
"Did you see her dance in the tents of Clark at the En'Kara Fair?"
"I did!"
Perhaps I will not dance her until we return to Ar. The patrons of the Braided Whip will be eager to see my Emily dance again. I do not know. It is something I will consider.
Six, pretty little she-sleen that she is, made no secret that she wished to serve Vesutto at the feast. She begged to do so two days prior. I do not blame her, of course. Vesutto is a confident fellow. A handsome sort. Also, he is quite wealthy and exhibits the casual demeanor of such a fellow. He dresses well, but he is not pretentious. Six, bottom whore of the chain or not, wanted to serve the fellow, perhaps to prove to me she is capable of pleasing him and, in doing so, pleasing me. I do not doubt, of course, that she is aptly equipped to serve the fellow. He, however, has an eye for another of my chain.
"Nirah will serve Vesutto," I told the girl.
I thought I might have to slap the girl, Six, when she preened a bit inappropriately at the table, trying to capture the Vennan's attention. Not that it is unacceptable behavior, most of the time, of course, but there were free women present. In the future, if Six sits at a table with free women present, I may employ rope to keep her thighs together.
Later in the evening, after his companion retired, Clark of Thentis expressed an interest in Portia who, at the time, was under the rope discipline I failed to anticipate as necessary for Six. Portia did not have her thighs lashed together, she merely had her wrists bound together at the small of her back. She has been presumptuous of late, but I offered to unbind her for the fellow when his eyes strayed her way. He, gracious host that he is, not wishing to brook the discipline I commanded, would hear nothing of it, but I left Portia behind for him to consider when I retired for the evening. I do not doubt he considered her at length, bound or not. There is much one can do with a restrained woman. Restriction, after all, breeds creativity.
I did ask one favor of my host before wishing him well. With the extra cargo of set pieces and canvasses created for the unperformed play, not to mention other purchases made here and there on the road and during our time in Thentis, I thought it prudent to hire a laborer.
"If the fellow Darwin were a freed man by the sixth ahn, I would consent to hiring him as a laborer," I said.
Clark merely nodded and smiled a bit. I was not surprised to see the fellow out of his collar in a new tunic, waiting beside the caravan of Vesutto this morning. He seemed to have a question for me, a curious look, but there was little left to discuss in my mind. Men do not belong in the chains of women. He seemed an able enough fellow. If he could not pull an oar in the galley of a pirate ship, that was not my affair.
"Check the straps on those crates," I told him, pointing out a bit of twine that I thought could have been lashed more tightly. "And mind Tasta. She is a bitch before breakfast."