Encircled

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Encircled Page 38

by Robin Roseau


  “We talk so casually about this.”

  “You’ve grown so,” she said, holding her clasped hands to her chest. “I’m so proud.”

  “Brat,” I said.

  * * * *

  “Begin,” said Major Teasest. When Jessla said she had guards available, she wasn’t kidding.

  This was actually a rather sedate event. Major Teasest called begin, and people didn’t actually spring into action. Instead, I waited, and a minute later, Aresht of the beautiful, purple eyes stepped up to me. She smiled. “I’ve heard stories of you.”

  “Oh?”

  “You’re quite the talk, actually.”

  “I’m a simple barmaid.”

  “Jessla told us you’d say that,” she replied. “She called it utter hogwash.”

  I laughed. “I am. I run the Baby Blanket Inn.”

  “So you’re an innkeeper. That’s somewhat more than barmaid.”

  “Maybe it is, but until a few months ago, my mother ran it.”

  “What happened to your mother?”

  “She now belongs to a woman named Giselt.”

  “You sound unhappy about that. I know Giselt. She’s an amazing woman.”

  “Perhaps she is, but I feel like an orphan.”

  “Oh, Claary,” she said. “You’re not an orphan.”

  “I feel like it,” I said. “I don’t think we should talk about this.”

  “Not today, but let me take you to lunch tomorrow.”

  “I run an inn.”

  She laughed. “Let you take me?”

  I shook my head. “You may take me for a carriage ride tomorrow afternoon.”

  “All right. I’d like that.” She began wrapping rope around my wrists. I looked down. “Are you going to let me do this?”

  “Yes.”

  “That doesn’t fit your reputation.”

  “Think about it.”

  “You’re throwing the event. Why?”

  “Think about it.”

  She paused. “I thought you would fight,” she said.

  “You’re disappointed.”

  “No. Confused. I was offering myself to you.”

  “Finish tying that,” I told her. “Or are you telling me you didn’t want to win?”

  “I really want to be part of your group. I liked the things some of you said.” She sighed. “You want to know how I’d treat you if I won something longer.”

  “This is probably a crappy way to test that, especially because it’s pretty obvious.”

  “I’m not any older than you are.”

  “I’m 22.”

  “20,” she said. “Claary, I’ve never won. I’ve never owned a slave. I’ve had my first, and one challenge. That’s it.”

  “You’ve lived your live watching others. We learned about this just over a year ago. You must know what sort of person you intend to be.”

  “Who lives up to her intentions?”

  “I try to.”

  “Most of us try to. Some of us don’t even know when we’re failing. I wanted you to show me, Claary.”

  I looked down at my half-bound wrists.

  “You can’t even tell me to treat you the way I want to be treated. First, I don’t have enough experience to even have figured that out.”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, what?”

  “I vote ‘yes’. Do you think your friends think about this?”

  “Yeah. We’ve talked about it.”

  “I vote ‘yes’ to a trial. You have a choice. You can untie me and walk away. I hope you don’t. You can finish what we’ve started. Or you can finish tying me then walk over to someone else and offer both of us.”

  “Claary, I’m afraid. What if I don’t treat you the way you want?”

  “It’s only two hours. Are you going to abuse me?”

  “No.” She looked down at my wrists, staring for a while. Then she looked up at me. “I heard you don’t give up.”

  “I periodically give myself to Olivia. I gave myself to Jessla. I might be two years older than you are, but I still have far too much to learn.”

  “Me, too.”

  “Do you intend to be a citizen, or do you see yourself as a slave.”

  “Citizen,” she said.

  “Then you need practice. Tomorrow we’ll talk about it.”

  She finished tying me. Twenty minutes later, I belonged to her.

  I enjoyed it.

  I couldn’t believe Olivia let Tareen have her. Even more surprising, Jessla let Becksta win. Well, the handicap probably had something to do with it.

  Later, I went home with Olivia, Bee, Dee, and Slip, four of us in Red. It was a lot of fun.

  Event

  The eleven of us collected two nights later, in between other commitments. Gigi asked two questions. “Do we want to invite them, subject to agreed conditions?” We all raised our hands. “Trial run or permanent?”

  “Assume permanent,” I called out. “Unless we learn that’s a mistake. We can dissolve and reform.”

  And so that’s what we did.

  * * * *

  We were to be the second to final event. There was a real challenge to follow our massive practice challenge. In private, Olivia told me that while it was custom to hold real challenges after practice, our event was going to be the most popular.

  It was held at the arena. And on that, Olivia mourned the small size. “But it’s what we have, and we’re not going to build something bigger, at least not yet.”

  Gigi found one more person, a woman named Echeesh Firemoor. And so, we were sixteen.

  Sixteen. Talk about chaos.

  The sixteen of us changed together. There was some good-natured teasing, and then the guards led us to the arena. We entered together, but then we spread into a wide circle with Jessla at the center. She paused until we reached our places, and then she explained the event. The crowd roared their approval, or at least enough of the crowd, the Ressaline portion. I’m not sure what my fellow Charthans thought. At the moment, I didn’t really care. I was focused.

  And then Jessla called, “Begin phase one.”

  I stayed right where I was. Some of the others did as well. But it took a minute or two before we formed into eight groups of two.

  I received attention from Gigi, Megra, and Lisolte. But then Echeesh approached Megra, and Slip attached herself to Gigi. I found myself facing Lisolte, she of the flaming red hair. She smiled. “I didn’t even have to fight for you. You didn’t have someone in mind?”

  “Not for round one,” I said. “After I win this round, I’ll make my decision. I won’t be passive for round two.”

  She laughed. “You assume you’ll beat me.”

  “I have advantages,” I told her.

  “I was raised to this.”

  “I’m a barmaid and innkeeper,” I said. “You probably don't even know what a bouncer is?”

  “In Ressaline, that is someone with a big chest and inadequate support.”

  I laughed, long and hard, to the point of wiping away tears. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, actually.”

  “I love your hair. If I win, I’m going to spend time running my fingers through it.”

  “Good. If I win, you’re going to spend time brushing it.”

  I smiled. “That works, too. Do you want to know what a bouncer is when speaking about a Charthan inn?”

  “Sure.”

  “When we have an unruly customer who has consumed too much alcohol, we bounce them out the door. Not literally, but it can get very physical.”

  “And?”

  “I’ve bounced men.”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, oh.”

  I smiled and hooked elbows with her. “Feeling less confident?”

  “Yes.”

  “Excellent,” I said. “Come along.”

  She let me lead her to one of the troughs. There were eight troughs, each about six feet long, and flanking them, a total of six heavy stakes driven deeply into the ground.
>
  And there was rope. Together, we stared at the trough. Then she turned to me. “I’m wiry,” she said. “And I’ve trained my entire life.”

  “And I’m a professional bouncer,” I said.

  “You’re bluffing.”

  “All right. Fine. We hired big, burly men for the busiest nights. But for the last three years, I handled the other nights. That stopped being an issue when you invaded.”

  “So you’re rusty.”

  “Sure,” I said. “I’m rusty.” And then I shifted my clasp and pulled her wrist into a come along hold I’d used to evict many a drunk.

  And she escaped and stepped away. We eyed each other, and she smiled. “Nice try.”

  “How did you do that?”

  “I’ll show you some time,” she said. “Once you’re permanently mine.”

  I laughed. “That’s not happening, but I like your attitude. Should we do this?”

  “I don't want a real fight,” she said. “No punching, biting, kicking, or the like.”

  “Absolutely not,” I said. “But arm bars are entirely legal.”

  “I’d have it no other way,” she agreed. “We’re playing to submission?”

  “No, we’re playing until one of us is tied and taken.”

  “Good,” she replied. “This is going to be interesting.”

  * * * *

  She was good. Technically, she was probably better than I was. I, however, was accustomed to dealing with people who might be twice my size. She was not.

  It took time. It took time to wrestle her into submission, and several times she nearly had me. It was only my own stubborn nature that saw me through the various things she tried. It took time, but I got one of her wrists snared. She fought to free it, but I was able to grab the other and arm barred it until I could tie it off. After that, I breathed for a while before tightening her arms. Then I worked down to her feet and tied them, deep into the resin, and well spread.

  She panted up at me, and we lay together for a minute or two. But time was of the essence, and there were other pairs that were further along.

  “I thought you wanted to get to know us,” Lisolte said.

  I laughed. “I’m going to. Did you expect to win?”

  “Yes, although I’m aware of your reputation.”

  “Do you wish you’d picked someone easier, such as my sister?”

  “I imagine she is also a professional bouncer, as you put it?”

  “I made her work in back when it got rowdy,” I said. “But she’s only 18.”

  “So?”

  “So, she wasn’t ready for dealing with drunks. Now we don’t have to deal with them. If someone gets out of hand, I stand up and ask who is the ranking officer in the room, and then I ask her to deal with it.”

  She laughed. “Efficient.”

  “Isn’t it.” I began stroking her body, untying her shift as I was about it. It wasn’t really providing coverage, but it looked uncomfortably knotted after our scrambling about, and I thought she’d rather be rid of it. Or that’s what I told myself.

  “You’re going to lose now,” I told her.

  “I don’t think I mind,” she replied. “I made the professional bouncer work for it.”

  I smiled then bent down and kissed the corner of her mouth. Then I whispered into her ear, “You have a lovely accent.”

  “I prefer a Charthan accent,” she whispered back. “Do you know what you’re doing?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. I leaned up and looked around. There were still a few struggles. Lisbon had someone staked out. I couldn’t quite see who it was. I couldn’t see anyone noticeably further along than I had Lisolte.

  “You don’t want to mess around,” she said. “I wanted to beat you, but if not, then I want you to win. Finish me, but not too hard. Don’t take me so hard I can’t help you.”

  “I don’t know how to do what you’re saying,” I said. “This gets to what Gigi talked about.”

  “I know,” she said.

  “I have to do this my way,” I told her. I brushed her lips, first with my fingers, then my own lips.

  I didn’t rush it. I took my time. I paid attention to the other pairs. I couldn’t afford to be half done with Lisolte when another team began looking for their next target. Confused?

  I had to win twice. Ultimately, the sixteen of us would turn into four groups of four. Go with it for now.

  I stroked her. I touched her. I kissed. I teased.

  I entered.

  The resin climbed up her body. I remained out of it, as best I could, although that would change.

  I entered her with my fingers. She was long ready. And then I slipped the device into her. But I wasn’t allowed to finish her quite this way. Instead, I climbed atop her.

  This device had two ends. I shifted, then let it slide partway into me.

  Then I moved up and down, working out an angle that seemed effective. And now my legs were in the resin, and it took almost nothing for it to begin climbing me.

  But it climbed Lisolte much, much faster than me.

  She closed her eyes. She began panting. She began to moan, to whimper.

  And then to shudder.

  I felt the magic. I felt most of it flowing into her, but a portion flowed into me. We were bound now, and as it flowed into me, the resin flowed higher. I lost myself, at least a little, and for a while I would have been easy pickings.

  I collapsed atop of her, the device still inside both of us.

  “Claary,” she whispered. “Claary.”

  I lay there for a minute, maybe two. Then, slowly, I straightened, driving the device further inside both of us. I looked down at Lisolte. I caressed her face, and she opened her eyes and smiled. She squirmed, and I squirmed, and then I returned to riding her, lost to what was happening.

  She came to greater awareness more quickly than I did. “Claary, wake up.”

  What was she talking about? I was awake. But I looked and remembered where we were. “Oooohhh.” I didn’t climb from Lisolte, not quite yet, but I surveyed the others. Lisbon had captured Sarala. Good for her. The two were moving this way, although Sarala was barely functional, caught in the magic. Of the others, some had captured their slaves. Some were nearly there. Gigi was untying hers; I didn’t see whom she had. For now, it appeared everyone else was lost to the magic the way I had been.

  The way I could become again if I stayed here.

  I slid off of Lisolte, edging clear of the resin, now past my waist. Even then, it edged higher. Lisolte moaned once. I slipped the device from her, and she gave a mew of displeasure, but she nodded. She seemed more functional than I was.

  I untied her legs and arms then helped her from the trough. Together we stood then surveyed the scene.

  Gigi had Aresht. The two were heading this way. Aresht was doing about as well as I was, not as well as Lisolte. Gigi was doing better. I had to snap out of it. Lisbon gave me a look then turned to her slave, lowering Sarala to the ground. She kissed her briefly then stood and stepped closer.

  Three temporary slave owners came to a stop at the vertices of an imaginary triangle. Two of us had our slaves with us. I gave myself a little shake and then smiled. “Well done.”

  “Thank you,” Gigi and Lisbon both said.

  We all looked around. “Round two,” Gigi said. “Any of them will be easy pickings.”

  “Bernadette has Lassa,” Lisbon said. We looked over, and Bernadette was nearly done herself.

  “Especially easy pickings.”

  “Unless she snaps out of it,” Lisbon said. “I wouldn't suppose one of you would help me with her.”

  “Sure,” I said. She and I were safe from each other, so helping my sister shouldn’t put me into danger.

  “Not so fast,” Gigi replied. “I’m not after easy pickings, Claary.”

  “You want Lisbon? Looks like one against two for you, Sis. Sarala doesn't look like she’s going to help.”

  “It’s not Lisbon I’m after, Cla
ary. I’ve wanted you since you took me.”

  I smiled, but I was worried. I wasn’t fully working.

  “Want some help, Sis?” Lisbon asked.

  “Not fair!” Gigi complained.

  “You should have taken an easy one,” Lisbon said. “Claary, you keep Gigi busy. Loan me Lisolte for a minute, and we’ll deal with Aresht.”

  “Sure,” I said. “Li-li. Help Lisbon capture Aresht.”

  “Yes, Claary,” she said.

  Gigi whispered to her slave. There was a pause, and then on silent signal, Lisbon and I both jumped forward, she for Aresht and me for Gigi. I grabbed my target. Lisbon grabbed Aresht. I saw Lisolte enter the struggles, and I was sure they could easily take care of the slave. I wasn’t at my peak, but at least in something like this, I was pretty sure my peak was better than Gigi’s.

  We struggled for a minute or two. I glanced over and saw Lisbon had things well under control. She and Aresht pulled a struggling Lisolte to the open trough and began tying her down. I focused on Gigi.

  I did say I wasn’t doing very well, half lost to the magic. It took me a minute, but then I cried out. “Lisbon, what are you doing?”

  I pushed away from Gigi and got three steps towards my sister, intending to interrupt her. She was securing the wrong slave! The thought pushed the fuzz from my thoughts. I got three steps, but then Gigi wrapped around from behind me.

  “No! Lisbon!”

  Lisbon giggled. I struggled to free myself from Gigi. I broke her clasp as Lisbon and Aresht captured Lisolte’s free hand in the rope. Lisbon gave the rope a yank and wrapped it twice around the stake, and then Aresht was there, helping to tie it off. Lisbon climbed to her feet and faced me, leaving Aresht to finish securing my now helpless slave.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I would think that’s obvious,” Lisbon said. She grinned. “I’m giving you a week of pleasure. Do enjoy.”

  Gigi grabbed me again. The fuzz was gone, and I turned things around on her, but then Lisbon was there. Alone, she was no match for me. I didn’t think either of them were. But together, I was in trouble. And then Aresht was there, too. She hadn’t fully tied Lisolte, but both of my slave’s arms were fully secure, and that was enough to keep her where she was, at least unless she freed herself.

 

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