Lady Ragenta moves to Ar: Chapter 8

 Lady Regenta Moves to Ar

Chapter 8

Atilas, sat in a chair that had been brought from one of the wagons in

the center of a large tent. He had finally dismissed the scribes and staff who

had needed his attention since his return. The panels of the door parted and a

girl was escorted in on a leash held by Captain Santo. She wore a simple

house tunic, her auburn hair was tied back with a red ribbon, slave cosmetics

had been applied to her face, her wrists were locked behind her in the small

of her back with slave bracelets. The final touch was she wore a string of

slave bells locked about her left ankle. His instructions had simply been

upon the return to the camp cleaned up and presented to him like any other

slave in the camp would be. None too gently, Santo jerked down on the slack

in the leash indicating that she should kneel in the presence of Masters.

Instantly, Ragenta dropped to her knees, parting them widely in the position

of nadu as a slave should kneel when in the presence of man.

“Have the preparations for the makeshift mast on the lead wagon been

made?” Atilas inquired.

“Yes, Noble Atilas. The mast is ready to be raised and set in the

wagon on your command.”

“Very well, start breaking camp. I want to be ready to move out on an

ehn’s notice. Remove the leash and bracelets from the girl, then leave us.”

“But Atilas, the policy of the House is...” Santo protested.

“Santo, I know the policies of the House. This wench has been in My

custody and care for most of this Hand without incident. I don’t think she

will be going anywhere that she is not allowed.” Atilas smiled back

patiently.

Santo’s expression showed that he did not care of this in the slightest.

But he was a good soldier, and bent down to remove the leash from the

collar of the kneeling slave, and the slave bracelets from her wrists. The girl

immediately brought her hands before her, placing them palm up resting on

her open thighs. Without a word Captain Santo turned and left the tent.

“He is only following the policie....” Atilas started.

“Handling of unbranded slaves and captives. Paragraph 3.

Any female that is not branded that is classified as a slave or free

captive is not to be without slave bracelets nor on a leash whenever out of

her cell. Especially when outside the security of the House.” she smiled.

“Yes, I know, I wrote the policy.”

“Yes you did and now you are subject to them. Ironic is it not.” He

laughed.

“Yes, Master. When I wrote them I never thought that I would be the

girl that they applied to. Captain Santo does not seem pleased about this

either.”

“Well can you blame him? After all his employer and woman he had

sworn to protect from harm ended up the collared slut that he caught in the

game. Hardly something to reflect highly on his record.”

“Yes, I regret that more than I do that I am now soon to be a branded

slave, Master.”

“I can do nothing to help you with this, Regenta. The laws of Ar and

our caste are quite clear and uncompromising. You of your own hand put a

slave collar on, dressed as a slave and were found in the camp. I can do

nothing except make you a slave.” Rubbing his chin as the trained eye of a

slaver observed and evaluating her. “I have to admit that you are taking this

with a nearly unheard of grace. That you have increased my fortune ten fold.

I am surprised that you have not tired bribe or plead for your release.”

“Master, where would I go? I would be ruined as a Slaver. I would be

a woman without a Caste. Even if you had acted on my comment in Ar

Station about letting me go for half of the coins and property. I think this has

gone on for too long, I think that I was already on my way to a kef and

collar.”

“I could easily keep you a slave in the House. You are skilled in the

training of slaves. It would be simple to certify you as a training slave.”

“No, please, Master. Yes, what you say is true. But there would be far

too many hard feelings by the staff and slaves in the House. It is better that I

be sold. I beg you, Master, to send me to the Curulean after I am branded.”

“I will honor your requests, slave. But I would like to know why you

begged these conditions.”

“If I am to be condemned to slavery, Lady Regenta will go out in

style. I will enter the gates of Ar, naked and bound something that looks like

a ship’s mast. I will be the first slave of the House of Atilas in Ar. I will be

the first slave to be branded in your House. And my first sale will be the

House of Atilas first slave sold in the Curulean.”

“So be it, But I could arrange a private sale that could find you a

flower in a Pleasure Garden and somewhat easier slavery.” He motioned for

her to stand and strip herself.

“Yes, Master, while I am sure that you would make that happen. I

wish to be sold in the Curulean and not know my fate. I may be sold many

time while I am a slave. I might be sold in a minor market or from the back

of a wagon. I might tend fields or be chained in a factory. But I will have

first been sold in the most glorious venue in Ar.”

“So be it slave.” He said. “Guard!”

In an instant two guardsmen entered the tent.

“Take this slave to the mast, bind her to it as a prize, then stand it in

the first wagon. We move out for Ar within the ahn.”

Regenta, was immediately leashed once more and had her wrists

locked behind her as she was led from the tent to be put on display.

Then the slave caravan of the House of Atilas entered the gates of

Glorious Ar. A rigging that resembled a ship’s mast was standing in the bed

of the first wagon. Hanging from the mast was a naked auburn-haired slave

with tears in her eyes.