A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

[Takimaru]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Rylynn couldn't help but find herself nodding in agreement with Jann's expression of needs. It was a simple enough set of desires, and as far as she was concerned, lists that were much longer were bound to include a few lies in them.

"I see. I cannot help but wonder how many were caught up in their lies and promises," she responded, before hearing Nimedes out. Safe lodging and food... also pledges that she wasn't so sure could be delivered with true conviction. But if nothing else, it was far more convincing than the offer that Susorun made, as she was still expected to do a job in the near future, and had shown her qualifications clearly enough rather than having been judged on appearance alone.

"Fine," was all that she said in reply. She regarded Jann and Hebeny for a moment, and couldn't help but notice that the dog that had aided her against the barkeep trailed the latter as if she were its master. Rylynn would keep her bloodied sword unsheathed while she was still in the tavern, as something of a warning to those who would seek to continue a fight with her. But once they entered the network of corridors, she would sheath it for ease of travel. As she felt the other woman's touch upon her arm, she wouldn't respond to it in any explicit way nor would she bat it away. She figured that she was perhaps seen as reliable and safe, and for that, Rylynn could not blame her.

The barbarian tried her best to make a mental note of the ways the group had taken to get here, though it proved difficult. She was no stranger to finding her way around formations of rock, but these seemed to be deliberately designed to confuse and disorient people... perhaps those that had their coin lifted.

When Nimedes had welcomed them inside and offered his hospitality, Rylynn chose to stand, simply folding her arms and waiting for him to elaborate. And soon enough, he would. The Cold Brotherhood... they were certainly the type that she expected, in a sense, to deal in the business of slavery and the like. Some girls were easily wooed by promises of safety--not her. The Cimmerian knew that true security was the responsibility of one's own judgment and power, man or woman. So she was taught.

And so the promise of the band and the guild's protection meant little to her... but the silver held far more sway. "I'd prefer 400 silver to the addition of the band, myself. I travel often and cannot say how long I will stay in Zamora. But if this Cold Brotherhood is anything like those we encountered in the tavern, then better I kill them first instead of waiting for them to disturb me during my time of relaxation."

"Speaking of which... have you any drink? I was looking to unwind a little more, before those fools thought it wise to disturb me."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"Zamora is filled with any number of charlatans and con-artists. Foreigners have always been their prime targets and women from exotic locales always sell best in the slave pens." Jann explains to Rylynn in his amusingly rural Brythunian accent, though he speaks the harsh Zamorian language with fluency. "Most Zamorians have little need of backbreaking laborers -- beautiful girls chained to beds is what they spend their coin on."

After his story was completed and the girls had each given their answers, Nimedes stroked his beard and fidgeted in his chair, finding Rylynn's upping of the price distasteful, though he did note her fierceness and muscles with a hint of trepedation.

He stretched his hand across the table, finding an old pipe and dragged it towards himself. Then he checked his robes, searching for some leaf to smoke. As he did so, he first alluded to Hebeny's comment.

"It was a long walk from the tavern to here, and hard work to carry a limp body. Noticeable too. The city watch would investigate if they saw, and it would mean bribery to avoid a dark cell. Besides, I strongly suspect that the common thug knows nothing of the true identity of the Brotherhood's patron. No doubt whoever it is works through intermediaries... else the eyes and ears of Arenjun would know already."

Not finding his leaf upon him, Nimedes sighs, grips his cane and struggles to his feet. He limps across the room to a cabinet that serves as a small pantry. Out of it he produces a bottle of dark glass and three cups. He nods to Rylynn and if she comes to him, he hands the containers off to her, otherwise it is Jann who takes them and sets them on the table. The jewelers opens a drawer next to the cabinet and claims some leaves which he places into the pipe and crushes with a small pestle.

"Argossian wine, from the Khoratus River valley northeast of Messentia on the Road of Kings. A fine product that has made its way here at a high price. Let us drink it, as we prepare for this endeavor."

He moves to the table, sets his pipe down without lighting it, and unstoppers the bottle. He pours three glasses and hands them out one at a time.

"I'm afraid if I offer each of you the fortune of 400 silvers each, I won't make much money on the deal. But seeing as how you are all going to be risking your lives, I can pay you half of the 300 silvers upfront, as a sign of good faith, and I can let you know something else that will make the job more enticing perhaps."

He pauses to let everyone take a drink as he lights his pipe with a flint rock contraption, the like of which Rylynn has never seen before.

"The Brotherhood has also stolen a particularly important shipment of high quality gemstones from the Southern Black Kingdoms, among which was a stone of incredible rarity, discovered at the cost of hundreds of lives when it was unearthed from a ziggurat's vault. It has been described as a teardrop shaped crystal the size of a dagger. We have referred to it as the Elephant's Tusk. It is priceless, and rightfully claimed by Oleska the Stout, governor of Arenjun, who funded the expedition. If you find the patron of the Cold Brotherhood, you will doubtless find the Tusk, as well as the rest of the jewels that were stolen. Should you bring that Tusk back to us, I am certain the Guild and the governor will not be worried should a few other gemstones go unaccounted for. There is plunder to be taken from these gang of thieves, if you are cunning enough to secure it. Succeed in this task, and you will be very rich indeed."

Nimedes' face crinkles into a grin and he smokes his pipe. Jann drains his glass of wine quickly and sets it down.

"Ale is more to my taste. Fine wine is wasted on me. As for your price, 300 silvers is nothing to sneer at. And you say you will pay half up front. Aye, that's fair enough for me." Jann muses with a nod of his head.

"Good. And I trust it's still fair for you both?" Nimedes eyes the ladies. "I can give you a few leads as well. The estate of Erlo in the Noble's District - the lord there had his favorite concubine stolen out of his own harem. A daring feat to say the least. He or his guards may have more to say on how this was accomplished.

"You may also wish to keep an eye on the slave caravans transporting foreigners into Arenjun. The Brotherhood are kidnappers, true, but they are not above buying girls off the block.

"And finally, there are the brothels that associate with the Cold Brotherhood. Some of them, like the one next to the tavern you were drinking at tonight, have a habit of attracting young waifs to them and then handing them over to the Brotherhood - but there is a place in the Night Bazaar called the Ring and Swallow. It is the grandest brothel in Arenjun, and recently the old gang protecting it was muscled out by the Cold Brotherhood. It is said that this brothel has never been faring better, and that its harem swells with the most beautiful and exotic girls. Strange that this place should be an exception to the rule, no? I would have gone there myself, but the Night Bazaar is a lively place - not somewhere for a cripple like myself to be, although the same could be said for the Maul I suppose. In any case... surely this is enough to gain your curiosity for coin and adventure?"

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

The sorceress was a little disappointed that the muscled Cimmerian woman stood. She considered giving it to the... Gundermann? Brythunian? The-man-she-wasn't-interested in. She considered giving it to him, but decided doing that and sitting at his Rylynn's feet when she was standing would be weird. So instead, Hebeny shrugged, taking care to (hopefully) look nonchalant, put her chair down and recline in it - one leg stretched out, while she folded folded up the other resting its heel on the edge of the seat, trying not to feel awkward.


Hebeny sniffed. Nimedes did have a point... still, though. "We could have splashed some wine on him and pretended he was black-out drunk, or something. Maybe learned who he gets his coin from." As she said it, though, she let a note of uncertainty into her voice, letting them know she acknowledged the jeweler's point.

"Some silver to grease some palms would help the process in getting you the information you want... those bands, will they mean I become the Jeweler's Guild's property, then? To be used or traded however any Jeweler wished?" Hebeny asked. "Protection from slavers is well and good, of course, I'd just like to know what it means. Do I become a member of the guild? Or just property - and if so, will you give us leave from what being someone's property seems to mean here in Arendun?" Hebeny smiled. "Important details like these should be discussed... you're deal with trade, so I trust you understand."

"Now... what of the gang that used to control the Ring and Swallow? Are they still operating, or have they broken up? What were they called? And this Erlo sort... surely he had enemies?"

Hebeny accepted a glass of the wine, and indeed wanted to sample it... but knowing this man was a sorcerer, and rich, besides, made her wary. She would cradle it, swirl it, stare into it as she thought... but did not drink it.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"The bands will bare the symbol of the guild. It's nothing official by any law here in Arenjun, but the implication would be that you are on or a part of Guild business. As a woman, it is taken for granted that you have a male owner. If you were a local Zamorian, it would be either your husband, father, or closest male relative at the head of house. As a foreigner, it would be assumed that you are a slave or the wife of a visiting merchant. The bands simply state that whoever owns you is working for the Guild, and thus, it is an implied warning against targeting you, because you already have your place within the city. Zamorians tend to target visitors, rather than themselves. Even the local beggars know better than to hold a bowl out to a native. Now, you and I know the truth of the matter, of course, but the suspicion that you are somehow a free woman only makes you a target for slavers."

Nimedes shrugs.

"It is the way of things here. That is not to say that there are not powerful women in Arenjun. They just tend to manipulate a weaker, wealthier man into being their proxy. Some of the nobles' wives are true harpies."

He draws long on his pipe and let's the smoke out slowly from the side of his mouth, gathering his thoughts as he does so, preparing to divulge more on the leads he had given them.

"The old gang was known as the Spice Kings. They were primarily bandits who patrolled the trade rout, picking on caravans who were too cheap to buy enough guards or too unlucky to have run across Kozaki nomads in Turan and were already suffering. Gorgos, the Paymaster of the Night Bazaar, had been their chief patron, until the Brotherhood began a ruthless and sudden campaign of targeted strikes against the 'Spicers.' The streets ran red with blood, the signature blue mark of the Brotherhood singed onto the skin of the corpses. Gorgos himself is fine. Never better in fact. He still runs the Night Bazaar with his private guards now augmented by Cold Brotherhood muscle. Seems there had been a power play, a bribe to the Paymaster, and he sold out the Spice Kings to their doom. If there are any of the old gang left, they are scattered rogues probably too scared to crawl out of their rat holes. This all happened only two weeks ago. Hard to imagine so smooth a transition if Gorgos had not known about it beforehand."

"As for Erlo, as a noble Zamorian, he is born with enemies. The politics of this country are labyrinthine, all tied to the paranoid king, the many feuding priesthoods, and the criminal and trade fiefdoms that each family ties itself too. The word is that Erlo is convinced that the Cold Brotherhood is behind the kidnapping, though his evidence for this is not apparent to me. You will have difficulty approaching Erlo himself, but you might be able to have a word with his guard captain, a man named Dallon. If you can talk to him without getting your neck severed, he might share more details. It is a recent development, happening only a couple nights ago."

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"A waste for them, if they would have me chained to a bed. I offer little pleasure while bound," she said in reply to Jann, matter-of-factly.

She eyed the wine as Nimedes brought it out. While it might not have been Rylynn's first choice, she wasn't one to complain about a free drink, and so she takes the bottle and cups, setting them on the table on his behalf; perhaps one of the most 'civilized' things she has done since arriving in Zamora.

To his proposal of half upfront, she could only shrug and nod in agreement. It was less of a demand on the Cimmerian's part and more of a notification; that such protection meant relatively little to her, one who had all too often relied on her own strength to survive her travels.

"Find out whoever is leading this Cold Brotherhood. And get some gems back from them, too? A large teardrop shaped crystal--like a dagger. Fine." Rylynn wasn't necessarily fond of wearing jewelry, but it was hard to deny their captivating gleam and the access to comforts they often represented. Keeping a few in her rucksack along with 300 silver wouldn't be anything to feel bad about.

Rylynn swishes the wine about on her tongue, as she had seen some civilized folk do, but makes a slight face and swallows it down. The warming sensation in her belly soothes her a little, however.

"Agreed." She could only hope that the other girl would be mindful enough to remember all of the details, as admittedly, the rather complicated dynamics of Zamorian politics are largely beyond her interests. All she caught of Nimedes' following words was that Zamorians often targeted visitors--that much she had discovered by experience--and that the Paymaster of the Night Bazaar had switched his favor from the Spice Kings to the Cold Brotherhood. Surely, if anyone knew facts about the matter, it would be this Gorgos.

She looked around at her companions for the job. "So... it looks like more brothels for us. It seems... fitting, seeing where I have met the lot of you."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"More brothels indeed. Though it would seem I won't have much time to partake." Jann muses as he sets down his empty cup. "Do we start tonight? Or are we to grab some rest first?"

Nimedes gestures with his pipe to the two spare rooms in his apartment.

"You are welcome to use these rooms for the night. There is a bed in the far room and in the middle there are blankets enough to make the floor acceptable. If you require more, I'm sure the 150 silvers will gain you access to a comfortable room elsewhere. I would like an update on your progress in two night's time. We'll meet at the ninth bell at the Jumping Hare inn, in the center of the city."

The jeweler got up from his bench and took a limping step toward his own quarters.

"Whatever your choice of accommodation, enjoy the rest of the wine. I'd hate for it to be wasted. If you want your money now, I will get it, otherwise, I shall provide it to you in the morning. Good night."

Unless stopped or asked anything more, Nimedes would use his keys to open the door to his private room and disappear behind it. Seconds later, the sounds of a complex lock could be heard bolting the door back in place.

Jann poured himself a second glass and then held it out for Rylynn, seeing that she had downed her glass.

"I suppose I should take the room with the floor and leave the bed for you both. Of course, I wouldn't say no to you joining me. We've got wine and we're celebrating good pay and a victorious fight after all." The young man eyed Rylynn as he said this.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"You sound disappointed," teased Rylynn in response to Jann's lamentations regarding the brothels. Though in truth, she too was hoping to be able to unwind a bit more. Alcohol one, sex two... but no doubt the girls of that tavern were far from the point of providing service. Not her fault their owner was a slaver who didn't know a paying customer when he saw one.

She gave a brief nod to Nimedes. There were no plans for her to leave that night, and so she allowed him to retreat to his room without bother.
While the barbarian was far from an expert at reading others when it came to social functions, the young Jann seemed to fancy her, she thought... and Hebeny seemed... fond, in her own way. The latter was undoubtedly beautiful, but if she were to relieve stress with the former, she'd need to shave that damn beard of his--or at least have another drink. Either way, she opted for the latter, taking Jann's glass and downing it in a single go.

Afterwards, she set it down on the table for him to refill once more. "So you're saying that you don't mind an uncivilized savage like myself? I can't say I've met many men that prefer a body like mine. They say it's too 'masculine'... though I say, it has a purpose other than being ornamental. On the other hand, some of the other women don't seem to mind."

She grinned slightly, looking to Hebeny to put her on the spot. "What do you think?"

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"I like masculine," Hebeny stated, rising from her chair. So clearly invited, the Stygian stared openly at Rylynn, looking her over. She walked over to her and circled her, a dark-skinned hand trailing along on Rylynn's body as Hebeny traced her way around the Cimmerian, eyes running over her clothes and body. The dark-skinned beauty stopped at Rylynn's side, and swung a hip up, wrapping her leg around her, arms reaching up to drape across the well-built woman's form. "But I like feminine too, and your body is such a lovely mix of both... and a very uncommon mix, at that."

Hebeny untangled herself and poured another glass of wine, handing it to Rylynn. "People sometimes lack the taste for uncommon things, friend," Hebeny said, throwing a very brief glance over her shoulder at Jann. "They find them different from what they know they like. Once they develop the taste, though, it becomes a distinct craving, unsatisfied by just anything."

Glancing over her shoulder again, Hebeny arched her back, making her plump rear stick out, and swayed it side to side at the Brythunian with them. "As for Jann, I don't see why he would to be disappointed... the prettiest girl in the pub did accompany him home, did she not? And he's just come into quite a lot of silver..." Hebeny locked her eyes with him, and gracefully gathered up up her belongings before swinging past him, hips swaying for both Rylynn and Jann to enjoy. Hebeny tickled Jann under the chin with a finger, feeling his scratchy beard as she passed, and paused to sweep her fingers down to brush against his thigh, before continuing on to the bedroom. "He has a certain masculinity neither of us possess... and I quite like that kind of masculine, as well."

Hebeny continued rolling her hips as she walked, the sheer sash hanging from her belt and the beads swaying with her brown skin. She raised her free hand and beckoned them to follow. "Come along, and bring the wine, yes? We should get to know each other, if we're to work together, don't you tihnk? I won't promise very much sleep, but I'll do my best to make sure what sleep you do get will be the soundest you've ever had."


Now that they couldn't see her face, Hebeny grinned with excitement. YESSSS. The Cimmerian -- Rylynn -- was interested! ...Maybe! AND she was going to get some dick at the same time!

As excited as she was, though, she remembered not to leave her book unattended. Nimedes was another mage, after all - and they didn't have much reason to trust each other just yet... she couldn't lock the door in his house, but she could at least keep it with her.


On an unrelated note, Hebeny also hoped the dog didn't shit on anything expensive.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

The nameless mutt had chosen a spot near the door to curl up and fall asleep in. The warmth of the indoors was welcome to the mongrel on a night like this when the wind came howling down from the foothills and through the maze of city streets.

For Jann and Rylynn, the Argossian wine was making them light-headed, but warmed their bodies and made all that they saw, including the amazingly beautiful Stygian girl, glow and gleam in the candleflame and starlight.

"Under the covers, the less civilized the girl, the better!" Jann chuckled as he nursed his new wine and stared over the lid at both women. A casual glance at his pelvis would reveal that the young man was only too turned on by the forward presence of both women, especially now that Hebeny had begun to wrap herself around Rylynn.

When she bade the two of them follow her to the bedroom, sashaying her hips as she went, Jann followed as though he was bespelled. He clasped the wine tightly by the neck of the bottle.

"By Bel, Mitra, Ishtar, and any god that you pray to, I'll not be one to miss out on such a promise... Come on, Rylynn. More wine, and perhaps we'll learn just how feminine you can be! Let your timid suitors curse their fool eyes and regret turning their back to you."

They entered the bedroom to see that the guest bed was not designed to hold three people comfortably. They would be a tight fit, but at least the wooden frame seemed sturdy enough not to break under their combined weight.

Jann downed his remaining glass of wine quickly and set it aside, before removing his tunic over his head to reveal a decently lean and muscled body, evidencing his life growing up in a hard, removed Hyborian land and his recent livelihood as a brigand. His boots came off next, leaving him only in his undergarments and a small cloth that wrapped around his upper legs, covering his mid thigh, and held in place by a worn leather belt. This he began to undo as well as he sat at the edge of the bed.

He looked from one woman to the other, and it seemed that in spite of his eagerness, he had never been in quite such a situation before, with two woman that seemed like goddesses and exemplars of their respective peoples. He dare not speak in this moment, afraid he might break whatever spell of fortune had brought his unworthy self to this chamber. He glanced from woman to woman, waiting perhaps for either of them to take the initiative, either with each other, or with him.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Rylynn couldn't help but smile in earnest to Hebeny's compliment. The interest was mutual, it seemed, and the barbarian was always better communicating with others through more physical means, be it combat or sex. The body, she felt, was far more honest in its own way, and a momentary glance at Jann's apparent arousal would only serve as further proof of that. Her own eyes were, as well, as they shamelessly scanned the Stygian's sultry form as she put its hypnotizing movements on display.

The Cimmerian then traded looks with the bearded one for a moment, as if to make sure that he was seeing the same thing she was in Hebeny's shapely rear. She certainly wouldn't need more wine in order to enjoy that... but, it certainly didn't hurt, and so she downed her third pouring of wine--or was it her fourth? It didn't matter at that point. After that, she had another, welcoming the warming feeling that poured down her throat into her belly. If nobody else took the bottle, she would.

She then smirked a little in reply to the temptress' comment about Jann's 'masculinity', knowing just what was meant. "A lucky night for him, then... and for myself."

But on the trip to the room, she wouldn't forget one important thing--her dagger in her boot. This, she would be sure to make use of...

When the others began to undress, she would do the same, exposing her modest but shapely breasts with a single pull of the simple chestwrap that kept them bound. Her baggy pants, still stained with blood from the day's battles, came off next to put well-muscled thighs on display. Her boots went off last, though she wouldn't fail to retrieve the dagger stored in her right one. With that, she approached Jann, twirling it in one hand. "One more thing, though..."

A glance at Hebeny reminded her that she wouldn't have any problems finding the Stygian temptress to her tastes, but one thing still bothered her about the otherwise handsome oaf. And so she grinned at the other girl before straddling Jann first, pressing her bare petals against the tip of his length so as to remind him what this was for. Her blade swiftly went against his neck... only to smoothly glide upwards along the skin, shaving the beginnings of the bothersome beard from his chin. "Hold still," she reminded him, putting her careful bladework on display briskly yet accurately as she teased him without granting him entry, grinding her hips back and forth on his. Even while buzzed, she wasn't so clumsy as to leave a trace of blood upon his neck or face.

When she was finished, she brushed his excess shavings off to one side and stroked his newly smooth chin, smiling to herself. "Much better."

Then, she would grant him a full, deep kiss as a reward for his obedience, her lips still tasting of the wine that the three had partaken of. Turning around to face Hebeny, she allowed his erect rod to sprout up from between her inner thighs, as if she were the owner of such a member, and grinned.

With a finger, she beckoned the other girl over. "So, Hebeny... what do you think?" She invited the other girl to help herself to 'her' erect cock, moaning as if it were her own, when the Stygian began to work her oral magic. Running her fingers through the dark-skinned one's hair, she cooed and certainly would not protest if her more feminine partner paid a bit of attention to her swollen clit.

Soon enough, however, she wouldn't be able to help herself, and would slide her hips all the way back, forcing her dripping cunny into Jann's face as she took turns with Hebeny in slurping his throbbing shaft. With her hunger for sex having lurked for months, she wasn't shy in the least about seeking the attentions of his tongue, and so she pushed her folds wildly onto his face as she sought to return the favor with her own lips alternating between stroking up and down his member and meeting those of the beautiful girl before her.

Then, after the building sexual air in the room was enough to take it to the next level, she would pull Hebeny up to have her ride Jann, taking the opportunity to fondle and kiss the most attractive member of the trio. But the Stygian's tonguework left her craving more, much more, and so she'd slip off of Jann's face at one point, pulling him up onto his knees and allowing him to take Hebeny from behind, personally guiding him into the temptress' dripping crevice after a bit of repositioning.

On the other end of the bed she would lay back, spreading her thighs and inviting the other girl to have a turn at granting her some oral stimulation, which she certainly hadn't gotten tired of yet. What a treat it was for her to see that gorgeous face hard at work in her cunny! Several minutes more and she would be able to take it no longer, her body tightening up in a telltale orgasm as her love juices squirted over Hebeny's face. But where that might make a male equivalent tired, it only succeeded in firing her up further.

Panting, Rylynn writhed with need, pulling Hebeny on top of her, all the way up until the Stygian straddled her face. There, she would exhibit her own skill in cunnilingus, treating the other woman's labia and clit to some of the most fierce work she had mustered in a good while. Her deft lingual muscle would stroke up and down the full length of Hebeny's opening, repeating this process as she pressed two fingers from her left hand against the beauty's clit and rubbed it gently, in circular motions. Meanwhile, she would part her thighs for Jann, exposing her sopping wet flower and wordlessly granting the lucky Brythunian access to her tight pussy. When he entered her, she would cease her ministrations to Hebeny for only a second to moan loudly, showing him how much she appreciated his occupation of filling the void that was left in her for far too long up until that point.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pushed back against him zealously as she treated herself to Hebeny's honey, slurping away as if it were her last chance at such a treat. Her defined abdomen would tense and draw taut under this perfect combination of sexual sensations, and the ever increasing speed and force of her tongue strokes upon the temptress' cunny gave a good idea of exactly how fast she wanted Jann to go. But the man wouldn't know this, and so after licking Hebeny to completion, she'd have to ride him to get her own satisfaction at the particular pace she liked. Ryl directed Jann to lay on a segment of the floor where a blanket was spread out, as the bed certainly wouldn't hold up to the ferocity by which she intended to ride him.

Either way, the Stygian wasn't to be left out, and so Ryl had her sit on Jann's face in order to get some pleasure of her own. Once everyone was situated, the barbarian straddled Jann and began to ride him like none other. The sheer force of her downward strokes drove him in deep, deep enough to kiss the entrance of her womb, yet Rylynn wouldn't complain, as she was already horny enough to love every moment of it at this point. With her palms planted firmly on his midsection, she leaned forward to greet Hebeny in a sloppy kiss.

Even after she felt the eruption of Jann's hot spunk filling her canal and tickling her cervix, she'd continue to bounce her hips up and down, savoring in his burdened gasps and grunts as he tried to cope with the veritable overload of pleasure. "Nnnffphh... is that all you've got?" she taunted, as if daring him to try to cum again.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Hebeny stripped naked as soon as the door hid her from her compatriot's sight - one moment clad in her belt and sparse adornments and coverings, and the next every inch of her mocha skin exposed. She hoped it would make her seem a little more exotic and mysterious... but really, she truthfully had little on, and a lot of practice getting it off quickly. Her clothing was swiftly kicked into some corner, but her book and bow were swiftly gathered up and placed somewhere away from any windows or the door, on a table, if there was one. She glanced coyly over her shoulder when she heard the others come in.

Hebeny watched with dismay as Rylynn shaved Jann's beard off. The man wasn't very interesting to her outside of the fact that he possessed a penis, but she did generally approve of men with beards. It wasn't a common sight in Stygia, and it seemed exotic and exciting to her. She didn't say anything, though... Rylynn was who she was really after, after all. She wanted to watch the Cimmerian's body move, see her face as they worked the woman to satisfaction... and if Jann's babyfacedness facilitated that, then so be it.

The sorceress reclined on the bed, watching as Rylynn shaved the man, and grinned when the Cimmerian went in for a kiss. When she turned around, cock sprouted between her legs, though, Hebeny's mask dropped for a moment, and a rivulet of clear liquid ran down one of her legs. She'd had so many fantasies about having a pretty woman with the part of men she enjoyed the most... Immediately, Hebeny sprung from the bed and knelt at Rylynn's feet. She licked her cock's underside, and let it rest on her face, staring up into the warrior woman's eyes... and then Hebeny closed her eyes and buried her face into Rylynn's thighs, swallowing up as much of the cock as possible. She worked on it hungrily, every so often pulling off to kiss down its length and take a few laps at Rylynn's slit, drawing little circles around her button of womanhood. Her eyes were closed the whole while, holding in her mind that this cock really were Rylynn's.

When the Cimmerian pulled away, the spell was broken, and Hebeny regained a little more control over her thirst for cock. The feeling of power over a man that came with making him moan and writhe in pleasure with only her mouth still ran powerfully through her, though... Rylynn found her partner co-operative, but voracious as they shared Jann's member. She was just as hungry whenever their lips met, and when she was pulled up to ride the Brythunian her hips rolled and shook on his shaft with the expertise that came of long, intense practice at bringing carnal pleasure.

A glimmer of the Stygian's craving to bring Rylynn and Jann to thunderous orgasm shone in Hebeny's eyes as their night went on. Hebeny followed Rylynn's lead... though when she hogged Jann's seed all to herself, Hebeny slid down the powerful woman's physique and pushed her off of him. Licking up the cum oozing out of her womanhood was incredibly tempting, but Hebeny instead took Jann in her mouth, working him back to full, throbbing liveliness with a quick prayer to (and techniques taught by) Derketo. "Mph... surely not," said the sorceress as she pulled off of Jann's dick and began to pump its wet length with a hand, her hips wiggling as her slit pressed into his face. "Not while I'm here..."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Hebeny's quick disrobing nearly made Jann stumble as he took in her figure. If he had ever seen a more beautiful and exotic beauty in his life, he could not recall her to mind. The Stygian's dark caramel complexion and well-groomed, nearly hairless body were supported by perfect curves, lean, supple muscle and a bewitching countenance.

The Brythunian fell onto the bed, hastily casting his belt aside and lifting his tunic up over his head. His loincloth fell away just as Rylynn's tall shadow cast itself over him. She stood nude, save for her boots, and she held a dagger in her right hand. He didn't fail to notice it, but in the surrealness of the moment, he made no move to defend himself, and the barbarian was able to slip herself onto his hips, brushing the tip of his erect cock with her wet petals as she lay the dagger over his throat.

"Wh-what is this?" Jann whispered, something in his voice seeming younger now, betraying the inexperience and youthfulness that his earlier bravado and patchy beard tried to disguise.

She commanded him to hold still, and so he did. As she began to shave him, understanding came over him, and a look of bewilderment, and perhaps even shame came over him. His face flushed, and his eyes slid over to Hebeny, who watched the process from the head of the bed. He could sense by the dissatisfied look in her eyes that she was not thrilled with this either, but like him, was willing to indulge the savage woman for the sake of what pleasures a warrior like her might bring in the throes of passion.

Fear of being cut accidentally kept him from speaking until his facial hair was gone, revealing the tawny-haired young man's boyish good looks as well as a few small scars that decorated his jawline. Signs of a rough upbringing perhaps.

"It took me months to grow that..." he complained, but was stopped by Rylynn's kiss, which took his lips by surprise. He returned the kiss, almost gratefully, and thus encouraged, his hands began to explore the Cimmerian's hard body.

He did not have long to do so before Ryl turned her back on him and motioned to Hebeny. The man could only lie back and run his palms across the barbarian's tight ass as it sat on him, but when Hebeny's sweet, warm mouth enveloped his cock, his whole body went rigid, and his moans mingled in time with Rylynn's affected utterances as the Stygian performed her oral appreciations.

It would be unclear to either Hebeny or Rylynn what exactly Jann thought about this odd play acting, where Rylynn styled the cock as her own. He might not have even realized this was the intention. He seemed happy enough however, especially with the vigorous and practiced nature of Hebeny's cock swallowing. When Ryl changed positions and slid her petals over his face, Jann took to his task eagerly, trying to match the intensity with which Hebeny and now Ryl were both pleasuring him. Jann's mouth was not as experienced or as dextrous as Hebeny's, but he was still able to give the barbarian the little jolts of delight that she wanted.

With both of them working on his rod, it was not long before his precum topped his throbbing cock and they would both notice how a pained look came over him as he fought against letting loose too early. As much as he loved the idea of being with these two amazing women, he must be intensely worried of not being able to live up to their expectations.

The change of positioning saved him, as he was able to calm down while Rylynn pulled him up and guided him behind Hebeny's shapely rear. Now at least he would be able to choose the pace at which he worked, though it was with an unstated reverence that he gripped either side of the Stygian's hips and slid himself into her wet folds, grunting softly and lustfully as he did so.

"A-amazing..." He gasped as he hilted inside of the sorceress, then slowly withdrew and thrust in deeply again. He had become aware by this point, through observing the Stygian's behavior towards both him and Ryl, that he was something of a sideshow for the Southern beauty. If this offended him, he didn't show it by the way in which he rode the sorceress, trying to extend her pleasure without loosing himself within her.

His efforts were good enough to last until Ryl pulled Hebeny off of his cock, leaving him teetering on the edge of orgasm as the mocha skinned girl was hogged by the Cimmerian.

It was then that he noticed Rylynn's legs, spread-eagled and inviting. With a wild look and an urgent need, he placed himself between her strong thews and guided himself inside of her moist slit. He was deliriously near his limit, but was fearful of going too fast and not giving the Cimmerian enough time to cum. So instead he went slowly, tenderly inside of her as she licked Hebeny to completion.

Finally, Rylynn finished with Hebeny and pushed her to the side so that she could concentrate on getting on top of Jann, where she changed the pace to a fast and animalistic rutting. By this point there was no way Jann could avoid cumming inside of the savage woman. He grunted loudly and swore half-intelligible oaths as if he were being plagued by a fever and was mid-delirium. At last he shouted out that he could last no more, and when Rylynn did not release her thighs' grip on him, he simply let it happen, unloading his seed inside of her. His screams of ecstasy were muffled as Hebeny had shifted herself onto his face, where he tried without much success to recall how to control his tongue while in the middle of his climax.

Not satisfied with having his orgasm stolen from her, Hebeny dared to push the Cimmerian off her perch and took the wet, exhausted cock into her mouth, working it hard to revive it. The secret techniques of Derketo, came to her aid in this instance, and Jann's manhood maintained its erection. This shocked Jann, but he made no complaint. His moans continued and his hands gripped the Stygian's brown ass, wanting to hold her tightly.

"You two women, you're like a pair of devils in the bedroom!" He announced. "The Cimmerian fucks like a savage, overpowering me and draining my strength, and the Stygian's skill forces me beyond my limits, giving life to my flesh when I should be without any strength left to give!"

Revitalized by the grace of Derketo, the Brythunian sat up suddenly and pulled Hebeny onto his lap, such that they straddled each other face to face. He slid her womahood onto his cock and guided her down. With a relit fire in his eyes, as though possessed by some unseen sexual demon, Jann began to shift and pump inside of the Stygian, grunting into her and lifting her up and down by her hips, even as she surely worked in tandem to reach her own orgasm in time with his.

The tawny haired youth shuts his eyes and concentrates only upon fucking Hebeny as hard and as eagerly as he can, no longer wanting to hold back as he had before. Rylynn, who lies beside them with his seed still climing to her womb and spilling out onto her inner thigh, can only watch as the bewitching southern priestess has taken full hold of the Brythunian's attention. A couple minutes later, he had worked himself up into a froth and was at last going to shoot out a second helping of his seed inside of the Stygian unless either she or Rylynn had anything to say about it.

Afterwards, he would mutter about his willingness to go longer, but that he would need some time to recover properly...

***

Many hours later, the three young adventurers woke to the sound of the city folk already bustling through the mid morning sun. Last night's activities and the wine had made their eventual slumber deep enough to sleep in.

A knock on their shared door was followed by a call from Nimedes to wake up and meet him in the common room when they were all 'decent.' He mentioned that if they were to make good on the money he was paying them, they had best get a quick move on.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Hebeny shoved Jann's face into Rylynn's tits when he whined that he would need time to recover. "There are things you can do that don't involve that manhood of yours..." she said, before slithering lower to press up against Rylynn's dripping sex...



Creature of comfort and decadence that she was, the sorceress resisted the call to consciousness for as long as she could. She opened a bleary eye to make sure her book was still where she'd left it, and closed it again with a little whimper when she saw it still there. From her place awkwardly piled half-on-top of the pair in the too-small bed with her, Hebeny began stroking Jann's cock and fingering Rylynn's womanhood, hoping for a more pleasant wake up call... or at least five more minutes of idle lazing before she were forced to get up and made what she tried to pass for decent.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Upon feeling the hot burst of Jann's seed inside her, Rylynn put forth a vacant look of bliss and satisfaction, one that only a lucky few would ever get to see. It flipped a switch inside of her head, a small orgasm that caused her entire body to quake. But the barbarian wasn't simply to fall flat after that. Instead, she proceeded to ride him even harder, causing the wet smacks of flesh on flesh to echo through the room as she sought to prolong the internal tremors until the spurts died down to nothing. Even when he was seemingly spent, she gyrated her hips upon him, biting her lower lip with a sultry grin. Rylynn savored the feeling of riding him triumphantly even as he started to go limp while lodged inside of her. She knew it--no man could really keep up with her... and so, somewhat smug in this realization, she slid off of him, her crevice drooling of the load she had stolen from her male partner.

Having inspired him to cum so much to fill her to the point of overflow, Rylynn was sure that he wouldn't be recovering anytime soon... that is, until she watched the other girl work her oral magic upon him, miraculously bringing his rod to its fully erect length once again. Not only that, but she then inspired him to ride her with the sort of zeal of a man who had only just begun. It was eerily unnatural, the way she had animated him with such skill and beauty... Rylynn would have a difficult time describing the act as anything other than sorcery. But now wasn't the time for suspicions, not when the Stygian woman proceeded to lap the milky load out of her pussy. To this, Ryl would not protest, even if Hebeny ended up slurping every last drop of it out of her reservoir. Cooing with satisfaction, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy all that this mysterious partner could grant...

~~~

By the time morning came, Ryl found herself far more groggy than she expected, a light hangover clouding her senses. Her eyes ached, as did her lower abs, but she was no stranger to nights of bad sleep, and so she forced herself up. The Cimmerian frowned as she searched about through blurry vision for her pants, which she eventually found in the corner, and put them on slowly, one leg at a time, before locating the lengthy strip of white wrap that would cover her chest. Once she was decent, or decent enough by civilized standards, she would meet Nimedes in the main room, still rubbing one eye. "... I'm here."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Such was the Stygian sorceress' control over Jann, she was able to push him into suckling and kneading Rylynn's tits without even a hint of resistance from the more muscled and physically powerful man.

Soon enough, all three of them would be pleasantly exhausted from the night's threesome and would huddle together, their naked forms draped over each other, with a plain sheet dragged across for added warmth.

Hebeny awoke first the following morning, with her book and other belongings still where she had left them. Her morning ministrations then roused the pair underneath her, with Jann opening his eyes slowly and uncomprehendingly at first. Then he focused on the Stygian and understood why he was so hard again. His hands moved down to her skin and sought out her breasts, but any further continuation was interrupted by Nimedes' knock.

"Best get to it, I suppose," Jann said, with some small reluctance in his voice. Certainly, if he could have helped it, he would have desired to remain in bed, nude with these two women all day.

Upon re-entering the living area with their clothes and items worn and secured, they would notice three small sacks of coins resting on the table, each of them the same size and bound up with a leather cord.

"150 pieces of silver each," Nimedes said. "Enough to purchase plenty of equipment to meet your infiltration needs. I will expect some return on my investiture, of course, so I suggest you get out there. Again, the places you could start would be Erlo's Estate, the slave trade market, and the Night Bazaar. Although the latter is only active during the night time, as indicated by its namesake. If you do wish to make purchases, the merchant district has several streets that specialize in various products. Arenjun is the city of thieves because there is so much here to steal. You can find most anything in this city, if you know where to look and who to ask. Zamora and all its gleaming cities are central to trade between East and West. Good steel weapons and armor, precise tools, various equipments, and even hard to find herbal and alchemical ingredients can be purchased here."

As he says that last bit, he eyes Hebeny directly. It is the first indication he has made that he is aware of her sorcerous nature. Nimedes moves on quickly however, and points to a parchment that he has rolled out on the edge of his table. It is a map of Arenjun, not in any great detail, but enough to show the different sections of the city. To the northwest is the merchant district and the small residential areas of the skilled labor class, in which they now technically resided. To the southwest and spilling into the southeast was the Maul, a mazework of the lowest income housing, and within this was a specially cordoned off section known as the Night Bazaar. To the east, extending from one of the main gates into the city's walls, was the slave market and storage warehouses for the coming and going of all the trade caravans. The northeast of the city was divided into the spires and odd-shapped pinaccles of the temple district, and the walls, gardens and estates of the noble class, including Governor Oleska's palace and the city's barracks, including a dour looking black-stoned prison, lined with occupied gibbets whose purpose was to show just what happened to those thieves that did not have Bel's favor with them on their daring escapades against those wealthy and affluent enough to wield Arenjun's corruption-filled militia.

 

[Takimaru]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Rylynn's look grew more alive when the coin was placed in front of her. She was no slave to the money itself, but the familiar jingle was a reminder that it was now time to earn her keep.

"Right. Most of what I need, is already on me," she replied. "I won't waste anymore of your time," continued the barbarian. "We'll have a look at the slave market. I'm not one for dealing with privileged folk," she explained. Dealing with a delicate touch wouldn't end well for her, unless one of her partners was particularly well-versed in the etiquette of the rich, and made their desire to exercise such skills known. Rylynn was quick to take offense to the wrong words and poor with the right ones--this much, she did know. The slave market, she figured, was better for her in that it likely had some folk she could browbeat into talking.

She moved towards the table and eyed the map carefully. Dealing with people wasn't her forte, but a sense of direction and navigation was something that she did possess, as in the Cimmerian wilds, the lack thereof often meant that one wouldn't last long in the wild. "Northwest is here. To the east, the slave market, and the south, the Maul and the Night Bazaar... " she trailed off aloud, more to herself than anyone else, as she slid a finger from one part of the map to the other. "The market first, and we'll hit the bazaar come night." Unless her two companions or Nimedes himself made any objections, she would then prepare to leave for the intended destinations.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

Hebeny simply smiled brightly back at Nimedes as he shot her that look when he mentioned herbs and alchemists.

"I would have preferred to start with the House of Erlo, but if his guards are particularly vicious, perhaps that might not be the best idea. The slave markets, it is, then!"

Hebeny had set about washing up once she'd emerged from the room, if Nimedes allowed her use of whatever basin and water he must've had in these lavish suites of his. At least, she washed her face and arms... she didn't think the old man would much appreciate the full scrubbing she so-desired right now. "A few questions, though... remind me, what's the Cold Brotherhood's emblem, again? You said it was blue, yes? Do they wear it openly? And, hmmm, I don't suppose you know the description of Erio's missing woman, do you?"

Hebeny asked for a few moments before they left, counting out and leaving fifty coins with Nimedes. "In case I get pickpocketed or mugged, I'd like to leave some of this here with you, if you don't mind, friend..." she says, and then stretches her arms over her head. "I'm also a bit lost on what to buy. I've little place to carry excess things with me, and not enough time to, hm, find what things might be useful that I can think of..."

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

"The emblem of the Cold Brotherhood is a blue mark, on the upper arm," Nimedes told Hebeny as he watched her count out the fifty coins and place them on the table between them. More than once, his eyes lingered on her body in the ways she had long grown accustomed to in her life as a temple harlot.

"I'm not certain how it's put there. Some sort of ritual scarring I presume. As for placing some of your coin with me, of course, I'll hold onto it for you. Not that I imagine you will have to buy much, as your most prized possession is the form your gods gifted to you at birth. I couldn't say what a woman of your talents would find most useful to spend her coin on, but if you are in need of the sort of specialty powders that could be put into an unwary man's cups, there is a street... here."

He tapped the map to indicate his reference.

"That is the Street of Dyes. There will you find ingredients to ply the deadly craft by which the clever woman can lay men low."

This drew a slight snort from Jann, who gave a cynical glance at Rylynn.

"Poisons. A weapon for nobles, and men of state. They have little and less to do with our business. Let's go see if we can't shake down some of these dogs at the slave market."


---

Unless either of them wanted to divert to a place to buy equipment. The two women and their young Brythunian man find themselves traveling to the slave markets, which is bustling and busy in the late morning. Always in the cities of Zamora, the trade of human lives is a common and active practice. In Arenjun, it is an especially profitable and booming business, for paupers are made every day here, and a person with more debts than coin is swiftly given over to the slavers. Some poor souls who become destitute willingly sell themselves into slavery just for the hope of a regular meal and some sort of shelter.

Many wretches stand in the baking sun, shackled to one another and to wooden poles, awaiting their turn to be brought behind the main stage. The slave market has several locations in its main plaza where slaves are bought and sold, but the grand stage takes pride of place and is the only venue where the truly wealthy will view prospective additions to their household.

To sell a slave on the grand stage requires an stamp of approval from city magistrate. To obtain this, most must pay a hefty tax. Some of the more savvy merchants know who to bribe and can save some coin by befriending a city official. Though it is a steep price, for those who can afford it, the grand stage offers a chance to gain some of the best prices for flesh in all of Zamora.

When Rylynn, Hebeny and Jann arrive, the midday auction has just gotten underway. Though the baking sun beats down across the plaza, the nobles are afforded shade in a specially corded off ampitheatre with large cloth canvas draped above the seats and fastened to a wooden scaffolding that surrounds the raised seating. For the common merchant class 'rabble,' there is a standing section right near the stage. It is here that the true prospective buyers like to stay, for they can be close enough to the stage to see the worth of the person or persons upon the stage.

The male and female slaves are kept separated on either end of the plaza in cages or chained to one another or to a row of purpose-built iron bars built into the inner city stone walls nearing the grand stage.

The last of a series of male slaves of ebony-skinned Kushite origin are being bargained for by the time the trio of heroes approaches. Hebeny notes that these are being sold by Stygians, who are of course incredibly adept at slaving raids amongs the people of the Black Kingdoms. Brutish hybrid Stygian guards stand grim-faced besides the last of their captives as a local Zamoran auctioneer works the crowd for higher bids.

As the final bid is made for the last of the Kushites, it appears that the next auction will be for female slaves. The crowd at the standing area thins out slightly. For Rylynn, the reasons do not come readily, but Hebeny perceives the truth of the matter, for the girls about to be trotted onto the stage are attractive, and their purpose will doubtlessly be to serve as concubines to noble men who can outbid any merchant. Perhaps only the more wealthy brothel managers remain in the standing area, intent on snapping up a hidden jewel who is not to any noble's tastes.

The first slave for sale shocks Rylynn, for it cannot be a girl over the age of 13. Before taking the stage, she is stripped of what little clothing she had, scrubbed by uncaring men with rough sponges and then slathered with a coat of oil to make her skin sheen in the sunlight. She is pale skinned, with auburn hair and pretty blue eyes. The auctioneer praises the luck of Bel for bringing all the bidders here today for here is a virgin girl from the gleaming West. Untouched by any man, the speaker assures the crowd of her unspoiled virtue while insinuating all the sinful pleasures that the winning bidder could enjoy while introducing such a delicate young flower to the trials of womanhood.

Though Rylynn's people do not flinch at the idea of slavery, they are not the sort to sell CHILDREN such as this to meet the needs of lecherous, soft, fat men who happened to have been born to wealth.

For Hebeny, the matter is not that serious. She was probably as young if not younger than this girl when she was brought to the Temple of Derketo in Luxor, where the priests taught her the ways of sexuality.

What grabs both the Cimmerian and the Stygian's attentions is the opening bid of 150 silver pieces, coming from the standing section. A balding man with a black braided beard has made the bid, and he stands with five other men behind him. All of these men have bare shoulders that bear the blue mark of the Cold Brotherhood.

A bid of 200 silver is casually made by a representative for a noble whose identity is hidden due to them lounging in their veiled carriage at the top of the seating area.

These prices are staggeringly high, and the Cold Brotherhood gang eye the noble's carriage with a mixture of wariness and emnity. The balding man seems to be saying something animatedly to his men as the auctioneer looks for other bidders.

The men of the Cold Brotherhood are relatively close by to Hebeny and Rylynn. Either woman could potentially get quite close to them and try to listen in on what they are saying if they wanted to. The Stygian slaver guards stand watch next to the stage and the preparation area, while city guards are posted at every main plaza exit.

 

[GargantuaBlarg]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

The sorceress gave Nimedes a sly grin when she saw where his eyes were directed, leaning forward to give him a better view. When Jann spoke up, though, she reached over and pinched him. "Come now, if it's named the Street of Dyes, they must sell actual dye there too, no? Perhaps I can find something nice to wear there. A little touch of familiarity to tantalize my suitors, no? I think we should take a look."



When they left, Hebeny shooed the dog out with them, too, wondering if she'd keep following her like last night. After having taken a quick detour to the Street of Dyes and finding herself a few sachets to spike a drink with and put it's imbiber into a deep slumber - and a bottle of wine to spike - Hebeny went with her companions to the slave auctions, in time for the sale of the sex slaves that they hoped to catch the Brotherhood at. Indeed, it looked like they'd found their men! Hebeny tried to get closer to eavesdrop.

The morsel on stage looked just a tiny bit older than she'd been when she was inducted to the worship of Derketo. It surprised her just how much these bids were, though... she could only lose her maidenhead once, after all, and a girl as young as her surely would not be difficult to find elsewise, if that were her appeal. She was pretty, Hebeny supposed, but not especially so... and since she were still a maiden, she couldnt've been trained to any degree of satisfaction, could she? Hebeny was no stranger to perverse tastes, of course, but... it just ringed so odd to her, that an untrained girl, young and pretty she may be, would fetch so much. It was such a shame that these people had their strange gods instead of accepting Derketo with their hearts and loins.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: A Wicked Age Undreamed Of

As Hebeny moved closer to the standing room, the bearded gang member's words became clearer. So huddled together and intensely concentrated were these men of the Cold Brotherhood that none of them appeared to notice the pretty Stygian draw next to them.

"...She is young, though. Perhaps too young for our lord's purpose?"

"No! He told me three times and bade me repeat it: the girl should be of the West and as unspoiled as is possible. This is our mark, surely. Up the bid!"

"Fool! Do you not see the crest on that veiled box? I would place the wealth of all Hyboria it is that fat toad, Oleska who bids against us. He does so deliberately!"

"And what of it? The Governor of Arenjun will tire of bidding so highly for such a tiny morsel."

"I doubt it. Haven't you heard the stories? He likes them young. I heard it from a whore who'd been paid to service his guards at a party. The lard-arse plays at being kind to them, loving even... then he finds excuses to punish them. By the time he takes their maidenhood, he's already got them in tears, and once he's bored of them, he does away with them in some even more perverse fashion. It's his favorite past time they say, and once he sees something he likes, he won't let it go."

"Who cares what he does with his whelps? I care what he might do to us if we get in the way of his toy!"

"Our masters gave us decent coin to spend, but it would anger them if we spent it all AND brought the governor's wrath upon us. Let us pass."

"But the girl is what we need!"

"Hold brothers. Can you not spy the next girl on the block? See how she is being prepared behind the stage even now."

"By the most unspeakable god! See how she fights with the slavers! She'll have taken quite a beating by the time we could have her."

"Bruises matter not, and see? She is Argossian as well. Older, possibly not a virgin, but so alike as this first as to be her sister, I'd wager. Let us hold on this current bid, and await this next one. She's too old for Oleska's sadistic tastes, and we don't need her for her cunt, just for what our sacred brothers require..."

---

The members of the Cold Brotherhood remain silent, allowing the bid of 200 silvers for the young, untrained girl to stand. By this time, others in the crowd have come to similar conclusions as the brotherhood has - it would be futile and potentially dangerous to bid against the Lord Governor of the city.

The auctioneer slaps his flog down upon a raised bench and with a happy smile announces the final sale of the girl. The slave herself appears forlorn and emotionless as she is led off the side of the stage, though she turns her head as the next stripped girl is dragged onto the stage.

As the gang members elucidated, this one seems to be an older, much more filled out young woman who bore such a similarity to the younger girl that it was almost a certainty that they were sisters. The two of them shared a pained look - the younger girl's eyes were sorrowful, while the elder was pained and angry, though from several purple marks upon her body, it was plain enough that her objections had been beaten out of her for the moment.

The auctioneer cleared his voice.

"Ahem... and next up we have a lovely maiden from Argos as well, slightly older, yes, but our chirugeons have examined her and testify to her maidenhood as well. There's more spirit in her than others, but for the discerning owner, the joys of breaking in a lovely specimen can be found here for a starting bid of thirty silvers. Do I hear thirty?"

The bearded man from the cold brotherhood put up his hand. It was answered quickly by several other standing bidders and the price shot up to 55 silvers, but the Governor's representative remained quiet. Apparently from the lordly caste, there was no desire for an older, troublesome sex slave who could and would fight back.