"A slave girl has escaped!" Sanda Talen said as she awoke me early the next morning, an oil lamp glowing in her hand, a robe hastily drawn about her tousled, disheveled self. I did not consider the event of such "grave importance" that she should awaken me from a sound sleep to tell me the dire news. Especially when it was also quite obvious that she had awakened Lady Tirana too, who came into my room just them, her appearance that of a woman just woke up from a sound well deserved sleep. I informed Sanda Talen of the fact that I was not very delighted with things, or with her for that matter! Since I owned a couple dozen of the sluts, the loss of one of them wasn't anything overly serious in my opinion! Poor Mrs. Talen nodding, her own appearance indicating that she had done little but get out of bed herself to inform me of the news. So far she hadn't been doing too well by me, and no doubt by now she was somewhat concerned whether or not I would be letting her stay on here at the estate. Not being in the mood just then to inform her of my opinions of the matter, I told her to "get the hell out" before I took the flat of my sword to her curvy firm rump there beneath that robe! She was a good looking woman, an attractive brunette, although no "competition" for a wench like Maris Marn, who looked somewhat like another Darlanis!
"I'll have to remember to be sure that I am armed before I ever awake you from a sound sleep," Lady Tirana laughed as Sanda quickly beat a hasty retreat. I would apologize to her later on, but right now I was in no mood to be "trifled with" by anyone! I reflected upon the amazing fact that when someone woke me out of a sound sleep here in this crazy era that it was usually some sort of "emergency" that I always had to take care of personally!
"I do believe it was that wench of Mara's and I also believe she stole your boat," Lady Tirana delighted in telling me then. The vessel in question being a small sailing craft rigged fore and aft around twenty feet in length. It could be sailed by one person and with adequate supplies, could make fairly long voyages if you were brave enough to entrust yourself to the sea in such a craft! Maris Marn, unlike the other slave girls, being allowed to sleep unshackled there in Mara's room, and even in her bed if Mara wished it so as she did whenever there was a thunderstorm. Apparently Mara aroused Maris' own maternal instincts, which is why she behaved towards her much like some cat with one kitten!
"God Dammit!" I snarled in sudden fury, sitting up in bed, even Lady Tirana stepping back a pace, concern showing on her attractive features. The covers falling away, revealing the fact I had slept in the nude but for my clips and a brief silken strap that concealed little. Reaching for the robe there beside the bed as Lady Tirana then took her own leave of me to get dressed.
"I'm doing everything that I can to find out how she escaped!" Sanda Talen pleaded, a quiver of fear in her voice. Men and women running here and there like an anthill that has been disturbed by a curious boy with a stick. The woman obviously terrified of me, as were those in the room with her. I had forgotten the awesome powers that a "LADY" possessed over those who served her. Here I was an absolute dictator with powers of "life and death". Perhaps she feared that I would have her whipped! I have heard of such things being done. No doubt she had cause for fear. Tara, when she was Queen of Sarn before Darlanis, once had a slave girl executed for merely spilling some hot coffee on her!
"I think I know," I smiled, touching her shoulder. Letting her know that my "bark was worse than my bite". "It's my fault for not knowing any better." I thought of Mara, of how she felt. The sun was just coming up over the eastern horizon now, the air cool with promise of a lovely day to come. Maris would have good sailing. The little yacht, while not fast, was of sturdy design.
"I'll see if we can round up some men who know something about ships," Lady Tirana interjected, putting in an appearance. I told her that it would be useless. It would take days to outfit a crew for the Squala. I might be in possession of the fastest ship in California, but I didn't have anyone who knew how to sail her! It took half a dozen men to even haul the sails up a mast, and while the Squala was a beautiful sailing ship, the finest ship that ever came down the ramp at a Dularnian shipyard, it still took sailors to sail her! Not a bunch of "clod-hoppers" and "rough-necks" like all I had around the place! Maris was an intelligent woman. She would not be easy to catch even if I had a ship available to go in pursuit of her. And if I did catch her, what would I do with her? The penalty for escape is strict. Often the girl is hamstrung, making her useless for much of anything but lying beneath a man or doing some version of handiwork. And if I only gave Maris a good whipping, what would Mara think of me? Perhaps it would be best if the wench drowned out at sea!
"It would make more sense to increase the security on the other girls before we have any more of them trying to sail to Dularn," I smiled back, feeling I was well rid of a potential problem with Mara and her puzzling feelings for the beautiful golden haired Dularnian. Doubtlessly Maris would be picked up and kept if she didn't drown at sea. In any case she was gone and that was that. At least Sanda Talen wouldn't have to worry about her husband putting his hand up underneath Maris' shift any more! I had no doubt he had been just teasing the slave girl a little! He was of the Warriors, and they have a tradition of such things! Little did I suspect then the true "realities" of this situation!
"I've already seen to that," Sanda answered, the gold of her neck chain gleaming against her well tanned skin. She was dark haired, well built, and wore a sword, as do some free women if they are physically able to use one effectively. Lana had thought highly of her. I suspected that I would soon do the same too as soon as I had some breakfast and got my nerves settled!
"You have a son on the Dularnian front?" I asked Sanda as she shared breakfast with Lady Tirana and me there in the kitchen, one of the slave girls serving us as needed. She nodded, her dark eyes showing the concern that she felt. I thought of other wars, senseless futile wars fought in other eras. And for what? Doubtlessly Raspa was right about us. We were nothing more than warlike barbarians who loved nothing better than fighting wars!
"Darlanis has been promising us a victory for years, and we are still fighting," Sanda answered, the tone of her voice telling me much of how she felt about it. Darlanis might be ex- tremely popular with the people of California, but this war was not doing either her or California any good! Mara quiet as she ate, no doubt well aware of the conclusions I had reached as to how Maris Marn, even "favored" as she had been, had managed to get together the necessary supplies for a voyage to distant Dularn some two thousand miles away! Obviously she had some help!
"What we need is someone to take command and do something `effective' about the matter," Lady Tirana added, regarding me. I had little doubt who she was referring to. Darlanis had wanted me to do the same thing. I had refused. After being "touched" by SHE, I could no longer bring myself to take human life except in self-defense. The affair on the Squala, I had promised myself, was going to be the last time I would draw my sword except to practice the art of fencing or to defend those whom I loved!
"What we need," I replied, "Is someone to do something about these pirates that prowl the coasts of both countries." That, I thought to myself, made far more sense than this senseless war! Piracy having now become a serious problem thanks to the war between the Empire and Dularn, it being all too easy for a pirate to get a "privateering commission" from one side or the other!
"Well, Mara, it looks like I'm going to have to get you another slave girl after all," I said to my little foster daughter as we finished up our breakfast and the others took their leave of us. Finishing my second cup of coffee, such being a true luxury that only the rich like myself could afford to drink, the beans being imported from Talon, the land of the great birds.
"Yes, Lady Lorraine," Mara answered, looking down at her plate, the bacon and scrambled eggs more played with than eaten. Yvette now at my side, licking my fingers as I fed her from my plate the scraps and such that I had saved for her. It was perhaps "humiliating" for her to behave so, but she enjoyed doing it, such was her affection and love for me. She would not make a good girl for Mara, as Yvette was far too "female" to be able to control herself around men, the wench being a true "bred" slave. Yvette wore a brief red shift, a gold collar to signify that she was not an ordinary common slave girl, and simple sandals to protect her tender feet from sharp stones and such stuff. She would laugh and squeal delightedly in French when some man put his hand beneath her brief shift, which was quite frequent, I had noticed! The day before she had come strolling back to me with leaves and dirt in her hair, a "contented" look on her face, sweaty and damp from love-making, doubtlessly delighted that here there were lots of strong lusty men to "appreciate" a sexual delight like Yvette!
"Are there any slave girls here you would like to have?" I ventured. Any of the women would be delighted to become Mara's, although I had my reservations about most of them as being anywhere near suitable for the task. Slavery tends to bring out in a woman her most innate feminine qualities, and most of the slaves simply were not suitable for being the companion of a little girl unless I wanted Mara to get a real quick "sex-education" in what happened to slave girls in the arms of my men at arms!
"No, Lady Lorraine," Mara answered, picking at her food. A slave girl peeking through the doors at us, her tanned skin damp with sweat from her labors. She was naked but for a strip of red cloth around her hips. The kitchen master enjoys the sight of a briefly clad curvy female body, especially if it is safely locked in a slave girl's collar and must instantly obey his every wish!
"You let Maris `go', didn't you?" I suddenly said to her. "Gave her food, water, everything she would need to get to Dularn." Mara suddenly starting to cry, the tears rolling down her cheeks as she sobbed out the story of how she had helped her beloved slave girl escape. Even giving her some of her own late mother's clothing so that she might better disguise herself as a free woman on the long dangerous voyage back to her own country as well as removing her collar so she could appear as being free!
Mara went on to tell me as I took her into my arms how Maris refused to take her with her on the voyage to Dularn, telling her that it was better that she stayed with me. Maris no doubt well aware that while I might allow her to escape, had she taken Mara I would have turned out the full forces of the Empire itself to get my little girl back! Yvette kneeling there at my side, her hand gently stroking the girl's hair as I held her, the slave girl's dark eyes glowing up into my own. For a brief moment I thought of giving Yvette to Mara despite everything, although I still hated to do it knowing the sort of a woman that Yvette was!
"Would you like Yvette?" I asked Mara as I held her in my arms, my own eyes now wet with tears as I held her to me. Yvette kneeling there beside me, looking up into my eyes, gently shaking her head in the negative. I suspect she feared what I might do to her. Sometimes a slave girl is locked in a chastity belt to better control her. Such would be "torment" for one like Yvette!
"She's nice, but I'd rather have another like Maris," Mara answered, looking up into my face. "Maybe a bit younger though," Mara agreed, "More like Mrs. Talen's daughter." The girl in question being in her early teens. "Maybe you could `buy' her."
"We'll get you a new girl," I promised, wondering how much Mara understood of the differences between slaves and employees!
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