Encircled

by Robin Roseau

  “Weddings are solemn occasions!”

  “Oh please,” Rishia said. “Weddings are supposed to be a celebration. You treated yours like a business contract.” She snapped her fingers. “That’s it! It was nothing but a business agreement.”

  “Rishia,” Tressain said.

  The daughter turned to her mother. “Am I wrong? If I’m wrong, I’ll apologize. Go ahead, Mother. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  Tressain paused and then said, “It doesn’t matter right now if you are right or wrong. Now you’re being the poor guest, bringing up a family matter while we are guests in this home.”

  Rishia actually dropped her head for a moment. “Mother is right.” She lifted her head and looked around. “My apologies, Lady Olivia.”

  “Think nothing of it,” Olivia replied.

  Rishia turned to me then gestured to La-la and Ti-ti, standing behind her. “I wasn’t paying enough attention earlier. It’s all a little overwhelming. But did I understand correctly. These two are yours?”

  “Yes,” I said. “La-la and I have been friends for several years. Ti-ti came to me out of, hmm. How to put it?”

  “Need,” Olivia offered.

  “Yes,” I said. “Need. I represented the best possible choice for her.”

  “She had debts?”

  “It was far more complicated,” I said. “Ask her if she’s happier now than she was before we met.” I laughed. “In fact, ask her how she used to feel about me.”

  Rishia turned her head. “Which one of you is Ti-ti?”

  “I am Ti-ti.” She smiled. “I blamed Claary for every problem in the world.”

  “Why?”

  “Because my sister hated working for me so much she left and went to work for Claary instead. And that represented all the other problems I was facing.” She smiled. “My sister helped to save me from my own mistakes.”

  “Are you happy now?”

  “Yes,” Ti-ti said.

  “You should know something else,” I added. “Ti-ti once owned The Golden Tulip. Now, she is a barmaid, and at times, the head barmaid and hostess.”

  “I like being a barmaid,” Ti-ti said. “The customers like me, and no one hates me anymore. I was a poor restaurant owner, but I’m a very good barmaid.”

  “That doesn’t make any sense,” Pelnie said. “How can she be happier as a barmaid?”

  “It makes perfect sense,” Rishia replied. “I’d much rather do a job I was good at and have people like me than to do a job I wasn’t good at, and have people hate me.”

  “But she’s a slave now.”

  “You know, Pelnie,” Rishia said. “Maybe you don’t care to learn anything, but this is barely any of your business. I don’t know why Melartine even invited you. I imagine you begged.” She laughed and turned to me. “Can you imagine Pelnie begging?”

  “I think perhaps I want to stay out of that,” I replied.

  “That’s probably best. Maybe Pelnie doesn’t like Bee, but if these two want to seduce me, I’m going to let them. Or is that wrong?”

  “So you think it’s wrong, too?”

  “Not like Pelnie does. But I don’t know the rules here. They’re your slaves. I wouldn’t want them to get into trouble with you.”

  “Oh,” I said. I smiled. “If they try to seduce you, it’s because I gave them permission. Although they’re sisters, so I’d probably reassign them first.”

  “You don’t seem to mind when we seduce you,” Dee said.

  “I make a special exception for you, Dee,” I replied with a smile. I turned back to Rishia. “We can be quite hedonistic. It was a shock for me at first. I was about your age.”

  “I’m 21.”

  “I was 21 when I learned about these things. It was my 21st birthday, actually. It was all a shock. The Ressalines invaded, and when we learned why, that was a shock. And then it was a series of shocks and more shocks.”

  “I wouldn’t say I’m shocked,” Rishia said. “But perhaps a little surprised.”

  I smiled again. “We’re just getting started. Are we to be friends, Rishia?”

  “I think I’d like that, Claary.”

  I nodded. “Good.”

  “You know,” said Olivia, “I think I’d like the answer to Rishia’s question from earlier. Melartine, I believe we were open with you and Tressain when we accepted your request to visit. Did you believe Pelnie would enjoy working within our borders?”

  Melartine pursed her lips for a moment and then said, “She is my daughter-in-law.”

  “So she is,” Olivia agreed. “Perhaps I won’t pursue my questions, but then we are left with a simple question. Does Pelnie wish to operate within our borders, or would she prefer a hasty exit in the morning?”

  “You can’t do that!” Pelnie complained.

  Olivia lifted an eyebrow. “My title is Duchess. Perhaps yours is higher, although you don’t at all resemble Queen Lisdee.”

  “Bee,” I said. “Come here.”

  Bee looked at Pelnie with dismay, but then walked around the table, smiling as she drew closer. I took her hand and kissed the palm, then pulled her down. “I love you.”

  “I failed,” she whispered.

  “No, Bee. She failed. Stay here with me until Olivia gives you someone else to help.” I kissed her ear and then her hand again.

  Pelnie watched this. Then she pointed at Bee. “You come back here.” Bee ignored her. Pelnie snapped her fingers. “You. Slave! I gave you an order.”

  Olivia looked at me. I shrugged then turned to Bee and smiled at her. “Would you like to sit with your head in my lap?”

  “Yes, Claary,” she said.

  And so I adjusted my chair. Bee knelt down and laid her head down. I stroked her hair and smiled down at her for a moment.

  “But,” Pelnie said. “That one is mine.”

  “She most certainly is not,” Olivia said. “She is mine. I loaned her to you, and you rejected her. And so Claary sees to her, and you remain unsatisfied.” Then Olivia looked at me again. Why did she expect me to fix this? I sighed.

  “Pelnie,” I said. “Your choices seem to be changing. It appears Lady Olivia, Duchess Charthan intends to ship you home in the morning. As you find our culture so repulsive, you would probably be least unhappy if you finish your meal in your room. Well, I didn’t ask. Lady Olivia, are they staying in your home, or elsewhere?”

  “They have rooms here,” Olivia said.

  “Very good. La-la, Ti-ti, please bring Pelnie’s plate to her room so she may finish dinner. Return here immediately.”

  “Yes, Claary,” Ti-ti said. The two stepped away from Rishia and began to collect Pelnie’s things. Then they waited for Pelnie to lead the way.

  The woman in question looked at them, then looked at me, then at Lady Olivia. Finally she stood and headed for the dining room exit, my slaves following after her. But near the door, she came to a stop and turned to me. “You said I had choices.”

  “Perhaps Lady Olivia will overrule me,” I said. “I am, after all, a simple barmaid, and she is the duchess. But if you wish a different outcome, I might suggest you pick a lap here, any lap, and go lay your head in it.” I stroked Bee’s hair.

  “I’m not doing that.”

  “Well then. It has been interesting meeting you.”

  “But-”

  “Major Marda,” Olivia said. “Would you please help ensure Pelnie remembers which room is hers?”

  “Of course,” Marda said, rising smoothing. “This way, Pelnie.”

  * * * *

  We stared after them for a minute. I caught Olivia’s eye, and she nodded just once, then tipped her glass to me. I shrugged.

  I hadn’t converted Pelnie, but I appeared to have Rishia’s attention, and I didn’t think she was the only one who had paid attention to the conversation.

  I looked down. Bee looked so sad. So I bent over and whispered into her ear. “Do you want to know a secret?”

  She nodded slowly. And so I whispered for anot
her minute. When I was done, she straightened and looked at me. “Really?” I nodded. She began smiling. “Good. That’s really good.”

  I caressed her cheek and then gave her a little kiss. “You may stay here with me if you want, but if there’s someone else you want to help, you may.”

  “I like it here,” she said. “But I should go help.” She rose fluidly and then smiled and gave me a very thorough kiss. We smiled at each other, and then Bee began walking around the room. She glanced at me, smiled wickedly, then slipped beside Tressain and pulled the woman into a true scorcher of a kiss.

  I’m not sure who was most shocked, Tressain or her daughters. Their jaws dropped. Then Bee broke the kiss, smiled at the woman, and finished circling the room, coming to a stop in the gap between Amber and Yelshie. She set a hand on each shoulder.

  Tressain waved at her face then took a gulp of her wine. I smiled. “Did Bee offend you, Tressain?”

  “No, but she certainly surprised me.” She fanned herself again. “Did you tell her to do that?”

  “No.”

  * * * *

  Eventually we moved to the largest of the parlors. There were now twelve of us, plus the slaves. Discounting the slaves, there was just sufficient seating. Olivia orchestrated, setting me on a love seat, not with Rishia but instead with Kylia beside me. The slaves saw to after dinner drinks and then took their own places, some standing behind their targets for the evening, others seated on the floor, leaning where they may. I had Slip leaning against my legs, and I spent attention playing with her hair.

  “There was a question earlier,” Tressain said.

  “There were many questions earlier,” Olivia said. “Which would you like to address first?”

  “Claary and her sister. Why does one seem to own half the public establishments in Charth while the other is a slave? Clearly this isn’t a financial decision. Nor is it one of an older sister abandoning her younger sister, as their affection for each other is evident,”

  I let Olivia explain. I thought I was explained out, actually. Instead, I watched the women. None of them were as judgmental as Pelnie had been, but it was clear this was as shocking to them as it had been for me, five and a half years ago. There were questions, and more questions, and then there was a pause.

  “So,” I said. “Business then?”

  Olivia nodded. “The six of you have a choice to make. Queen Lisdee has declared that any women who wish to conduct business inside Ressaline may do so, but only once she has experienced her First Enslavement.”

  “What?” Tressain spat.

  “Otherwise, you may return to Flarvor, and we can attempt to work remotely via couriers. If you wish to remain in our country or to come and go, you must accept your First Enslavement. And so you have choices. You may offer yourself to any Ressaline citizen here. If you do so tonight, then we will treat you as if you are 18.”

  “We’re only 16,” Amber said, indicating her cousin.

  “Well then,” Olivia said. “Then you may ask to be treated as if you are 16. Or, of course, any of you may ask to be treated as your real ages.” She smiled at that.

  “And give up a year?” Rishia asked.

  “Quite so,” Olivia replied. “That is the arrangement if you make an offer tonight. We can stay and chat late as you like, but that offer ends once you go to bed. If you come to me in the morning, you will be treated as if you are 19. If you leave in the morning, but return at some point in the future, you will be treated as if you are 20. Excepting of course, if you are not yet 20.”

  “Two months,” Tressain said. “If we decide right now, it’s for two months. Did I get that right?”

  “That was the same offer she gave all of us,” Gigi said. “Although we weren’t obligated to decide so quickly.”

  “All of you,” and she pointed around the room, “Have done this?”

  “Not necessarily for two months,” Olivia said.

  “I was 16,” Bess said. “So my First was only two weeks.”

  “Li-li was 17,” I said. “Hers was a month. Mine was two, and I was one of the very first. I gave myself to Olivia, and I couldn’t have been happier.”

  “Mother,” Rishia said. “Unless you decide to revoke our plans here, I want to do it.” She looked at Olivia. “What do we do?”

  “For now,” Olivia said, “we talk.”

  “I don’t need to talk.”

  “Actually,” Lassa said. “You do.”

  “I’m decided.”

  “All right,” Lassa said. “To whom will you offer yourself, and why her?”

  Rishia blinked a few times then smiled. “Maybe we should talk for a while.” Lassa smiled. “Mother, are we doing this?”

  “I don’t know,” Tressain said slowly. “I can’t ask you to do this, Rishia.”

  “You’re not. I’m offering. If no one else will do it, then maybe I deserve a promotion, and I can be our agent here in Charth.”

  Tressain studied her daughter then asked, very slowly, “You really have all done this?”

  “I personally have belonged to every Ressaline citizen here,” I said. “Oh, except Marda. I’ve also belonged to my sister and to Sarala -- La-la.”

  “I made her wash feet,” Li-li said. “And kneel to me.”

  “It’s a long story,” I said.

  Tressain nodded. “I do not wish to abandon this project.”

  “Then you know your choices,” Olivia said.

  They had questions, and more questions. And then Kylia asked me, “How would we decide who should own us?”

  “Actually,” Olivia said, “Don’t ask Claary.”

  “Why shouldn’t she ask me?” I asked. “You’ve made me do half the talking tonight, but suddenly I don’t have an opinion?”

  Olivia smiled. “I can’t imagine you without an opinion. Gigi, would you answer Kylia’s question.”

  “I would recommend Claary,” Gigi said immediately. “My second choice would be Lady Olivia. Lassa and I are good third choices. I’m sorry, I don’t have any personal experience with Major Marda. My personal opinion is that Major Bess is a lot of fun to play with, but I do not believe she is the best for First Enslavement. I’m sorry, Bess.”

  “You’re right,” Bess replied. She smiled. “You come see me when you want practice challenges.”

  “That’s my recommendation for you, Kylie,” Gigi said. “My answer might be different for the others here.”

  “Why is that?” Rishia asked.

  “My advice to you would be the same,” Gigi said. “But my advice to Tressain and Melartine would require additional questions first, and they may not care to be owned by someone the age of their daughters. As for Amber and Yelshie, Claary will have a hard time with that, and I’m not sure what to suggest, but I might offer Lady Olivia first.”

  “Lassa, what do you think of what Gigi has said?” Olivia asked.

  “Gigi’s right about Claary,” Lassa said. “She’s the one who taught Gigi and me how to treat our slaves. But there’s something else you should know. If you belong to me, you’ll spend time working in my bakery. If you belong to Claary, you’ll work at one of her inns. If you belong to Gigi, you’ll work at the Fairstreet Club.”

  “We would be barmaids?” Tressain asked.

  “Or any of a variety of duties,” I said. “I typically ask my slaves what work they feel would best suit them.” I leaned down and kissed Slip’s head. “This one is an artist, and she helps keep all my businesses looking beautiful, but you could find yourself helping her.”

  “I love to paint,” Slip said. “But I have other duties right now.”

  “I haven’t belonged to Judge Jessla,” Lassa said. “But Claary has.”

  “I learned as much from Jessla as I did from anyone,” I said.

  “I haven’t done a First Enslavement in 30 years,” said the judge. “I am most comfortable once someone has had experience. But I can understand if Tressain or Melartine would prefer someone of my years and stature.”


  We answered a few more questions, and then there was a noise at the door. We all turned to see Pelnie standing in the doorway. Once she had our attention, she crossed the room wearing an unfriendly smile. She came to a stop in front of me, her hands on her hips. “You first.”

  I offered my own smile. “Raise your hand if I’ve had my head in your lap in the past.” Pelnie looked around at the raised hands. “Lady Olivia?” I prompted.

  “Pelnie Opal,” Olivia said, “You have a choice. From the choice you make, you have a limited number of other choices.”

  “I don’t want you sending me back home,” Pelnie said firmly. “I’m staying. I have a job to do, and I’m going to do it.”

  “Well, well,” Olivia said. “I can respect someone who commits herself to her duties. Then do you agree to live by the laws of our country?”

  “Yes.”

  “Very well. Another choice. Do you wish to be treated as if you are 18, or if you are your true age?”

  “Why would I want to be treated as if I’m 18?” Pelnie said.

  “That is what we’ve discussed for the last two hours,” Olivia said. “We’re not going to repeat it.”

  “You’d hate being treated as 18,” Rishia said. And no one spoke against her. “Tell the duchess how old you are.”

  “I am 24, and I wish to be treated as that age.”

  “Very well,” Olivia said. “You have one remaining choice. Pick a lap.”

  She looked around, her gaze settling on me. “I bet you think I’m going to pick yours.”

  “I tell you what, Pelnie,” I said. “Pick someone else. Then I will personally prepare a cognac for you and wait on you myself.”

  “It’s about time the barmaid remembers her place,” Pelnie said. She looked around, smiled again, then stepped over and knelt to Jessla, laying her head down in the judge’s lap. Jessla stared at her for a moment then set her hand on the woman’s head.

  I stood and moved to the drink cabinet. I pulled out a very nice cognac, and then I looked until I found the other flask I wanted. I doctored the cognac just slightly. I turned back to face everyone. I crossed the room then lowered myself to my knees, facing Pelnie. She lifted her head from Jessla’s lap and looked at me. I held the glass in both hands and said, “This is a very special drink. I began with a very good cognac, but then I added something we import from Ressaline City. The first time I had this, it was in the Charthan Council chambers, and Lady Olivia herself served me. The flavor is somewhat of an acquired taste, but if you like this, I can prepare another.” Then I held out the glass and bowed my head.