Nua was sitting at her desk when the morning came, freshly bathed by Kaiji and Priceless, today they had selected something Kaiji referred to as, “Professionally seductive.” Nua looked at herself in the window where her faint reflection stared back at her. A bright cream outfit that was close to the color of her skin except for golden stripes that came around her shoulders and in a whirling pattern, circled under her breast. The dress was slit most of the way up her thigh for freedom of movement, and at Nua’s insistence, a thigh strap had been added to hold her knife. ‘An assassin without a knife is naked.’ She thought with some satisfaction.
The morning had her going over the previous day’s acquisitions, ‘A good haul of slaves.’ She thought as the shouts from the front area caught her attention briefly. The headmen adventurers were barking orders at the newest collared soldiers and preparing them for Nua’s use. She caught Sado’s voice out there as well. ‘He was up early this morning. Maybe even before me. Come to think of it, Solution was gone when I got up out of bed. Why do I think those two facts might be related?’ She rubbed her temple briefly.
“I swear, there’s always something. And this is just to take power, how busy will I be once I actually have it? Maybe I should ask for a ring of sustenance for myself so I don’t need to stop for sleep, food, or drink. I envy the undead.” Nua groused, but managed to keep it good spirited with a light hearted laugh before she went back over the document. ‘Hold on here…’ Nua stared at the accounting line. She looked over her shoulder where Kaiji knelt in supplicatory patience.
“This one cost more than most of the rest put together, what did this many platinum get me?” Nua asked and pointed to the line.
Kaiji looked up and took the paper, “That got you my greatest weapon, your Steward did well to get her.”
“Bring her to me. Now.” Nua ordered and set the paper down, and Kaiji scurried to obey.
Nua was not kept waiting. She heard the shouting beyond her door and made a mental note to have her office door enchanted against sound.
Minutes later, a tall, slender woman with an hourglass figure, bright green eyes like spring leaves, full, ruby red lips, and long black hair in a tight braid, entered and knelt beside Kaiji.
“Diana of Komestra, former property of Duchessa Kaiji of house Najin, presents herself to her mistress, Duchessa Nua Calen Aiwenor.” The throaty voice and her entire body exuded sensuality, such that it even struck Nua herself. She stood and placed her palms flat on her desk.
She watched the green eyes of her newest possession appraise her. “You’re an assassin.” Diana said instantly.
Nua blinked. “What?”
Diana smiled sweetly. “And you hate humans.”
Nua blinked again.
“And you haven’t gotten laid in a really long time.” Diana said again, “If I can help you there… I’m the best in the fifty cities, and you paid a lot for me, I’ve known nobles ransomed for less.” She arched her back, thrusting her breasts forward boldly.
Nua blinked again and again, then looking over at Kaiji, she sat down hard in her chair.
Nua spoke truthfully, measuring her words however, with care. “Alright, I’m impressed. I’m guessing you also worked out that you’d impress me by working all that out.” Nua didn’t make it a question, and predictably, Diana inclined her head gracefully.
“I did, mistress.” Diana replied with a titter like birdsong.
“Now tell me how.” Nua demanded with abruptness.
Diana’s smile was an arrogant one, the way her head tilted and her lips curled, like a snake that knew it was about to eat a bird. “Simple, you looked me over for weapons before you looked me over as a woman. Also, the way your dress falls, freedom of motion, but you’ve got a hidden knife. Only a few professions lend themselves to that habit. Assassin was the most likely. As far as hating humans, I’ve heard how you pummelled Prince Sado, and if you haven’t gotten laid in awhile, that means you haven’t slept with Prince Rasgen. Both good looking men, both useful to you, both the type that someone as fit and strong as you should find appealing. And yet despite the fact that you could do what you want with one, and get what you want from another, you sleep with neither? Plus…” She tapped her nose, “I knew you weren’t attracted to me that way. Nobody is that disinterested in sex.” The courtesan arched her back and spread her arms open with her hands out slightly.
“So, the most logical explanation is that you dislike humans, or at least human men. I suppose I’ll know more when I see what you do with me.” Diana replied, she didn’t shrug, but the way she held her posture, calm and without nervousness of any kind, easy, relaxed, said enough about her expectations.
For a moment Nua felt the question of, ‘How about my ‘lack’ of a sex life?’ came to mind, but Nua thought better of it and set the question aside.
Nua stared at the cocky slave for a long moment. “You’re used to being in charge, dominating from below.” Nua said bluntly, and Diana’s eyes popped open.
“You enjoy the power you get from sex, more than you do the sex. And you were hoping to do that with me, because I terrify you.” Nua added, and it was Diana’s turn to blink.
“And it hasn’t been that long without, for you. I’m guessing someone guarding you before you were sold to my house.” Nua’s smile became cocky and arrogant, mimicking the raven haired beauty that knelt in front of her.
“How…” Diana began, and Nua cut her off.
“You’re used to power, but you’re no warrior and whatever your birth, you were not using any power from that. You walked in here like you were armed, and all you’ve got like that is a… well I’ll admit, a very sensual air.” Nua explained, “I’ve ‘met’ men before. And plenty can be led around by the head below the belt buckle. Further, you immediately suggested satisfying me when you picked up on my ah… self imposed celibacy. When a person feels their survival is threatened, they’ll do almost anything to survive. I’m a threat to your survival, is it any wonder you’d try to use your only weapon to find safety?”
“A-And the last thing?” Diana asked, her expression going from stunned, to intrigued, each looked cockeyed at the other.
“You’re well fed, many of the slaves were functioning off half rations, even Kaiji was ravenous when I bought her. But every slave in your batch was well fed, you had only one thing to trade to get food for them and for yourself.” Nua gave a long, lingering, pitiless look at Diana, who for the first time since her arrival, looked uncertain and caught Kaiji’s eye.
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Looking at her former mistress, and seeing a faint nod of encouragement, Diana bowed her head to Nua. “You are correct in all respects, Mistress.”
Diana found her head too heavy to lift, and could only listen to the cold voice of her new mistress. “And that is why I’m inclined to keep you, also, despite costing a fortune.” Nua said and folded her fingers together with the tips of her false hand touching those of her real one. “You put yourself out for them, when you could have just done what you did, for yourself alone. If you’d only taken care of yourself, I’d be working out how to get rid of you at greatest possible use to myself, at the earliest opportunity.”
Diana looked up, uncertain, off her guard at the unexpected statement. Nua’s eyes took on a golden hue, and the chill breath of death carried its way to touch her cheek like a spirit’s tendrils, “Now that we’ve established that you’re not the only intelligent one in this house, I’ll tell you what I told the last one to challenge me. There’s one mistress in this estate. If you challenge me in any way, I will break you if you’re lucky, kill you if you’re not. You will not rule from below, I lead, you follow.”
Nua crossed around her desk and extended her right palm to below Diana’s ruby lips. “Show me you understand your place, slave.”
The green eyes of the raven haired woman went up to her, and Nua watched the calculations of a clever mind play out below her downward gaze, and then silk lips touched flesh and green eyes closed behind heavy lids with long dark lashes. “I do. As I served my former Duchessa and brought her power, I will now serve you. For her, I was a spy as well as a courtesan, tell me who to seduce, and I will wring out their secrets for you, or destroy them myself. I’ll charm their minds and bodies and make them dance to the tune you order me to play for them.” Diana opened her eyes slowly and stared upward.
“I’m a predator posing as a plaything, other than the Lady Kaiji… nobody before you has ever recognized that.” Diana’s voice was filled with undisguised and unvarnished respect. So much so that a pleasurable laugh like a siren’s song passed her parted seductive lips, “Trust me, mistress. Let me have my fun, and you’ll consider the fortune you paid for me, to be a bargain. I love my work, after all, and as I said before… I’m the best in the fifty cities.”
“So… this was your greatest weapon, slave?” Nua asked rhetorically, gesturing to Diana and looking down at Kaiji. The demon-elf nodded only once, and with great vigor.
“I can see why you think of her as such.” Nua’s eyes turned favorably toward the kneeling courtesan.
“You’re my weapon now, and I will wield you to deadly effect. But as you promise me your loyalty… I will give you mine.” Nua made the statement plain and cut it off.
“I know, my… wielder. After all, Kaiji loves you deeply, I’m certain of that now, and if you didn’t give loyalty at least, she wouldn’t. I’m yours, now let me prove my worth is more than what is paid for me.” Diana inclined her head deeply, the seductive air about her faded, and Nua lifted her hand and drew it back.
Nua’s face lit up as she recognized a kindred spirit hidden beneath the pretty face, “I believe we’ll get along exceptionally well, Diana of Komestra. Work well for me, and the rewards may be vast. The very house of your former mistress is not beyond your hopes.” Nua’s withdrawn hand formed a fist at waist level.
Kaiji’s red eyes widened at the mention of her former home, “She won’t be needing it after all, because I have no plans to ever let her go.”
The demon-elf felt her heart flutter as her goddess made the unexpected pronouncement. As the words registered, it was all she could do to keep herself from sighing with relief.
“Now, go see the Steward, get dressed in the finest outfit, ensure you’re ready to attend a private meal with what is likely a lecherous old man. I want him nice and distracted while I’m talking.” Nua ordered, and Diana of Komestra stood with the slow easy grace of a dancer, bowed, and sashayed out with eagerness for the game ahead in every step.
When they were alone, Nua returned to her desk and asked the next question on her mind. “How did the other purchases go while I was out hunting Bracer. Buying land around Komestra didn’t prove a problem, did it?”
Kaiji was quick with her response, “None, the Prince made no opposition given your inevitable rise to status. It is ironic, my mistress. You said even my manor was not beyond Diana’s reach… but you already have it. The quarter I was able to buy in your name, it included my house. Whatever is left of it at least. After the city fell, I didn’t see what happened to it.”
Pity rose like a fountain in Nua’s spirit. She stared at the door that was tightly shut, she twitched her ears and listened to ensure there was no one close beyond and just out of sight. Nua then reached out and put her hand to Kaiji’s cheek. The supple, soft skin of her slave’s body seemed to mold itself to her right hand, and far from withdrawing herself, Kaiji pressed back a little. “You had a terrible misfortune, slave. Truly terrible. It must have hurt you badly to see it fall into my hands.”
Kaiji’s eyes closed heavily as if about to sleep, and let her head rest against the giving hand of her goddess. “I won’t lie, mistress. I was beside myself with grief. So many times my Priceless held me. I was so scared… unlike her, I’d never truly known fear. But I was then, I slept in a bed of tears and mourned the lost home like it was a child taken away. If I hadn’t had her to comfort me and kiss those tears away, I might have drowned in them before you came back. Even trying as hard as I was to accept my life. But I promise you, mistress, it isn’t hard now.”
“No?” Nua asked, sliding her hand comfortingly over the cheek of her possession.
“No. Not even a little. Give me the deed now, and I would sign it over to you. It is nothing, it would be a hindrance to your service. Let me keep my Priceless, and a little room to sleep in. Give me work that matters to your elevation, and let me work close to you. That is all that I need to be happy. I would like to see what happened. But more than that? No. Give my house to my former slave, set her free and make her a noble in your kingdom. I will think nothing of kneeling even to her… as long as I still kneel to you, who gave me everything I have that I now love.” The soft silk voice of the demon-elf carried with it more than just a sea of affection and devotion.
‘Chains, it seems, go both ways.’ Nua thought. ‘I planned to bind them to me, thinking I would prepare them to go free along the way, but… how do you let someone go, who doesn’t want to go? And should I? Is that what is best for them? How do I create change that doesn’t destroy what I hope to protect and preserve? A path to freedom for some is as easy as a knife to leather. But they need work, land, food…’ Nua’s jaw clenched and she unconsciously touched the small of her back where she knew a faint scar still remained from one of the many beatings of her life.
‘For all my hatred of the scum…’ Nua begrudgingly admitted to herself, ‘we were given food, shelter, clothing, basic needs were met, some even created little justice systems of their own to adjudicate disputes between laborers. If I eliminate the institutions, the needs they provided for still remain.’
Nua looked down at Kaiji, who still nuzzled her cheek against the hand that held her captive. “Kaiji, I need your advice.”
The calculating look appeared and all softness was gone. “At once, mistress.”
“You know already that I have no plans to ever set you free, but you also know this is not going to be the case for many of your people. If I want them to be a force to be reckoned with, I need to ensure they have a way out of their current situation. Even I can’t just buy every Komestran, call them free, and go to lunch afterward.”
“Right… I understand…” Kaiji drifted off in thought. She listened with one ear as her owner dictated her thoughts on which should go free quickly and how, versus which should go free gradually as the city is rebuilt.
“Your earlier laws… which I drafted last night for you after you slept…” Kaiji pointed to the stack of documents in the ‘in’ box, “will help erode the process. Ending child sales almost entirely will make you popular with Komestrans, and your buyback for merit will reunite families… but mistress I caution you, you’ve spent a great deal, I don’t know what you’ve got left but…”
Nua laughed and went behind her desk, she took out a blank sheet of paper and yanked up her quill from the inkwell. “Look here.” She said abruptly, and began to draw. “This,” she said as Kaiji stood up and leaned forward to look, “this is Pas’en.” Nua drew a small circle. “Now this, is the area of the six great cities in the north.” She drew a larger circle several times the size of the small circle, around what represented Pas’en.” Kaiji nodded along.
“This… represents the Minotaur Kingdom I was in before coming here.” She drew a vast circle around the larger one. “I lived there for twelve years, in my time there as priestess to my god, I was not only made wealthy by being well paid for my position as ‘the’ head priestess for the entire country, but I used my wealth to buy up and renew farms, buy interests in the merchants that I helped open trade ties to the west, and…” She stared at her slave very silently…
“You heard rumors from the soldiers of my use of undead in the battle against Bracer?” Nua asked rhetorically.
“I did, mistress.” Kaiji replied, “I didn’t know if it were true, but it’s none of my business until you say it is. If it’s so, well you’re a goddess to me, who am I to argue?” Kaiji spoke very matter-of-factly. Supreme indifference ruled her voice, and Nua felt tension leave her shoulders that she hadn’t known was there.
“I had my own undead rental enterprise, I was very successful. How much so?” Nua asked the question, but it was clearly rhetorical, as she began dragging her quill over the large circle until a large part had been covered. “I drew income from that amount of land, and before coming here, per my plans, I sold it all. The farms I owned became the property of the farmers who worked them. The merchants owned all the profits of their enterprises. I became the richest woman in the empire. What you have seen with me? A pittance. Don’t worry about it.”
Kaiji’s mind was a whirlwind of disbelief, at the enormity of it all. The wealth was the least of it. ‘She got rid of everything behind her, burned all ties… she’s prepared to conquer or die here…’ Pride boiled so hotly that she very nearly cast herself down to the floor again, until a knock forced her attention elsewhere.
“Forgive my interruption, mistress, but the Master Banker of Pas’en has arrived and is awaiting your attention in the library.” Priceless said just a little more loudly than she usually spoke.
“Very good, send Diana to keep him entertained, and tell her to… do her best. I’ll be along shortly, have the cooks prepare tea and a small meal for the both of us.” Nua ordered, and neither she nor Kaiji could keep, or wanted to keep, their smug, knowing expressions from one another.
“How long before she’s got him, slave?” Nua asked amicably.
“Assuming she hasn’t lost any of her old skills in the last month, and all his faculties work? The venal minx will have the letcher’s pants down within a few minutes, my Lady.” Kaiji answered and clapped her hands together sharply.
“Good, get a small hand sized chest, and fill it with platinum coins, then prepare to follow me. This is going to be fun.” Nua managed at least, to keep her amusement down to a snicker while Kaji followed her directions.