Dancer of Gor

"Nothing, Master," I said, firmly.

Sempronius had been permitted earlier in the evening to feed the slave Tuka, as Callisthenes had Tela. Tuka had knelt before him, clad only in a slave strip and belt of rolled cloth, her wrists crossed and bound behind her back, fastened closely to her crossed, bound ankles. He had put food in her mouth, and she must eat. But, as Tuka understood now, this had not been to torture him. Rather, if anything, it had been to bring him into her proximity to excite him, to whet his appetite, to give him a foretaste of the delights which might, if he wished, await him. and, too, from the woman" s point of view, she so helpless, so close to him, so much at his mercy, unable to defend herself, or even to feed herself, dependent on him for her very food, this produced a sense of distinct unease, and arousal.

I heard Tela, under the touch of Callisthenes, cry out, softly, to my right. Sempronius knew what he as doing. I tried to steel myself, and think of other things. I turned my head to the side.

I heard Tela gasp with pleasure.

I suddenly hated being a slave! Was this possible? That I should be so casually put, so cordially put, in the liberality of a Gorean host, at the disposal of guests? But of course it was possible! I was only a slave! But why would he do this to me, to me? Was I truly to him only this, only another slave, to be put without a second thought to the purposes of guests, merely another amenity or convenience to them, as might be a napkin or finger bowl, or a comfort, such as a blanket, or an extra cushion for his couch?

I must not let Tela" s cries arouse me. I must try not to hear them! What pleasure she must be enduring!

Perhaps the stranger did not recognize me?

"Oh!" I said, suddenly, softly.

Sempronius chuckled.

I knew then, and so did he, that he would conquer me.

"Is she satisfactory?" asked the stranger, standing behind Sempronius. I looked up, wildly, at the stranger.

"It seems she will prove so," said Sempronius.

The stranger held, coiled in his right hand, a slave whip. "If you are not fully satisfied," he said, "let me know."

"Very well," said Sempronius.

I knew then that the stranger would whip me if I were not pleasing.

But I began, unable to help myself, to squirm beneath the touch of Sempronius. "You are a hot slave," said Sempronius to me.

"Oh, oh," I moaned, softly.

"Are you not pleased?" he asked.

"Yes, Master," I sobbed. "Thank you, Master."

I heard Tela, in a moment, begging to be freed of the bracelets, that she might hold Callisthenes. He released her from one of the bracelets. Callisthenes and Sempronius apparently held the keys to our bracelets! How gracious of the stranger!

I reared up a little, and saw, to my relief, that the stranger was back with Mirus and Tupita.

I closed my eyes.

I lay back on the leaves, gasping, my head turning from side to side.

"I cannot stand it, Master!" I said. "I cannot stand it! Do not stop! Do not stop! Oh, please, Master, do not stop!"

I loved being a slave! I loved it!

I begged Sempronius to free my hands that I might hold him, clutching my softness to him.

He twisted me a bit on one side and removed one of the bracelets. I then clutched him eagerly.

"Oh! Oh, oh, ohhhhh, ohhh!" I said. "Ohhhhh."

"You yield well, slave," he said.

I looked up. tears in my eyes. The stranger had returned. He had been watching. In his hand was still the slave whip. Then he turned away, again. I gathered then it would not be necessary to whip me.

I responded to Sempronius" lips, and kissed him, too, softly, about the neck and chest.

Twice more that night he used me, and twice more was I reminded of my slavery, and how total it was.

The stranger did not return later to ascertain again for himself the adequacy of my yieldings. Apparently, on the basis of what he had seen, he assumed they would be acceptable. Too, of course, if Sempronius had not been satisfied, I could have been put beneath the whip.

Late that evening Sempronius and Callisthenes were permitted to leave the camp. Before they left they replaced the bracelets on the hands of two slaves. Tela and Tuka, so that their hands were again confined behind their backs. The keys to those bracelets were given to the stranger. They, too, reclothed us, if, given the nature of our scanty garmenture, such an expression is appropriate. They then had their swords returned to them. They were permitted to keep their purses.

Tela and I watched them withdraw, disappearing into the darkness.