Freya left her quarters at the old Manor for the last time.

She was already referring to it in the past tense. Whatever emotional attachment she may have had to the place had already been severed. She strolled along the winding path to her Portal chamber with hardly a glance at anything around her. It was as if she were in a foreign land and wanted to return home.

She was already thinking about what her new home would be like once she had a chance to reverse her fortunes. She wondered how she had managed to tolerate the old place for so long.

Freya sauntered into the Portal chamber with a smile. A small satchel was draped over one shoulder, carrying her personal effects. The Portal device thrummed and pulsed, its energies having crescendoed and now waited for release. Her Trainer Taya stood nearby. Seven other girls were with her, alternately gawking at the device or playfully pawing each other.

Most of the girls were in collars and cuffs, as they had been "acquired" only recently. Two were fully graduated. Freya thought the mix would prove valuable. And there was Eveena.

Freya's smile widened as her gaze fell on the former Healer. The two graduated slaves were taking turns teasing her into a sexual frenzy, giggling at her increasingly desperate moans. Eveena would try to shove her sex into the hand that was touching her, only to feel it slip away. Then she would lean into another hand at her breast, only to have it withdraw.

She whimpered, the insides of her thighs damp. There was a faint wet sound whenever her legs moved against each other. This made her tormentors giggle even more.

"Now, now, no need to torture her," Freya said with a sly grin.

The two slaves looked up at their Mistress and bowed their heads. They withdrew and stepped back, and tried in vain to stifle a few last giggles behind their hands.

Eveena trembled and gave the Overlord a pleading look. Freya slipped her hand between Eveena's legs and lightly touched her slit. The girl very nearly shoved her pussy into her Mistress' hand, but a warning look from Taya stopped her. She remained where she was, shaking and panting.

Freya teased Eveena nearly as badly before she relented and stroked the young slave to orgasm. Eveena cried out and shuddered as she came.

"That should hold you for a bit," Freya said, withdrawing her hand.

"Y-yes, thank you, Mistress," Eveena panted.

"But I'll bet you're still horny, aren't you?"

Eveena swallowed and squeezed her legs together. She bit her lower lip and nodded.

"I am sure that Overlord Wotan will be interested in seeing what a good girl you are. Here." Freya took her chain from Taya. "I will take her with me. You will manage the others. I will send you and them through the Portal first and let it cycle once. Wotan will wish to accommodate you first."

"Yes, Mistress."

Freya stepped towards the Portal. She gestured and uttered a short incantation.

Lightning forked from above, causing at least one of the Narlassi-bred slaves to utter a short shriek. Freya turned her head, but Taya already had it under control. Eveena gasped and jumped back a half-step, but looked on in fascination as the energies collapsed upon themselves and expanded into the Portal opening.

"There is nothing to be frightened of, now," Taya said soothingly. "Just step through. You won't feel it at all. You'll simply be on the other side."

"Make sure to step away as soon as you are through," Freya ordered.

"I will go first," said Taya. "Follow me."

Taya turned from them and casually stepped into the Portal. A flash of shadow, velocity, and she was gone. It elicited more than one frightened gasp from the others.

"Go on," Freya urged. "The next one."

Slowly and haltingly, the slaves entered the Portal. Freya hurried the last few along, as the Portal cycle was nearing its end.

Just after the last one was away, the edges of the Portal opening flickered red and orange, warning that instabilities had accumulated. This was unavoidable in most standard Oceanus Portals, and was the reason why they could not be kept open indefinitely except by a skilled Mage. Freya quickly gestured, and the Portal closed with a boom.

Now she would need to wait for the Portal to cycle. It had to bleed off the unstable energies and replenish them with fresh energy from the gemstone heart. It would not be too long.

"And what would you do with her if she did come, Roquan?" Rennis demanded as he stepped across the outer chamber of Roquan's quarters. "You can't just keep her here or lock her up like a common slave!"

"And why not?" Doran roared. "What has she done to deserve any respect from us?"

"I will say the same thing about her as I did Gronnus. She is still an Overlord and deserves some measure of dignity."

"Oh, does she now? Do you see anyone mourning the loss of Gronnus? You would be hard pressed to find a single Overlord that would spare even a modicum of sympathy for ...!"

"Enough," declared Roquan. "I did not invite debate on this matter."

"Then perhaps you need to clarify what you will do," Rennis said.

"I will keep her here, Rennis. I have to," he said when Rennis turned away in frustration and disgust. "I have no choice. I have a moral obligation to prevent her from perpetrating her crimes again."

Rennis whirled around. "And since when are we the judge of that? We're not the Conclave! We're not a tribunal!"

"Rennis, stop arguing semantics!" Doran shouted, throwing up his hands. "Hellfire, Rennis, this should not require any thought. If we let her loose, or let her go on to Wotan, she will use the Draught again on more Narlassi."

"Then warn the other Overlords! Tell them what's she's done! At least then ..."

"I said enough!" Roquan said, shifting his gaze between his compatriots. "I will keep her here long enough to contact the other Overlords, and I will treat her with as much dignity as her station dictates, but I will not give her even a single chance to use this Draught again. I could not live with myself if I had the chance to stop this and I failed."

Rennis let out a long sigh. "What in the hells have we become? Why does it have to come to this?"

"I have been asking myself that question for the past moon," Doran muttered.

"All we can do is deal with the moment," said Roquan. "Nothing is as it was. We cannot go by the old rules of engagement. We ..."

There was a sudden ruckus as a guard burst into the chamber. "My Lord! A Portal has opened at your Portal chamber!"

Rennis and Doran closed ranks around Roquan. "Is it Freya?" Roquan demanded. "Have you taken ..."

"Not her, my Lord, just some slaves. Then the Portal closed immediately after."

"Her Portal is cycling. She sent some of her remaining slaves ahead of her. We don't have much time. Come."

Roquan headed out of his quarters, the guard following. Rennis and Doran charged out of the chamber nearly on the guard's heels.

"Have you left men there?" Roquan said to the guard, oblivious for the moment to the two Overlords behind him.

"Two men, my Lord, one watching the Portal, the other the slaves. The slaves are very excited and anxious, and they're a bit of a distraction ..."

"Then go fetch ... wait, here he is."

"Your Lordship!" cried a winded Vanlo as he approached with a stumbling run, a concerned Lanno in tow. "A Portal has opened ..."

Roquan came to a stop. The other two Overlords nearly ran into him. "Yes, Vanlo, thank you, I already know. We have some slaves that came through the Portal that need to be examined and calmed before I will allow them to mingle with mine. Can you ..."

"I'll go take care of them!" Lanno declared, and ran for the Portal chamber.

"Vanlo, catch your breath and head back to your office and await the slaves." He turned to Rennis and Doran. "And you two will wait in my quarters."

"Now see here, you cannot order ...!" Doran blustered.

"This is my Manor, and I can order anyone I damn well please. I will not have this turning into a circus. No, I will not debate this with either of you."

He turned on his heel and left the two Overlords and the Healer behind, the guard falling into step beside him.

Freya grew more eager to leave the more she waited for her Portal to ready itself. She had done some rough calculations in her head. The amount that Jollis had paid her for the bulk of her slaves was more that she would have received had she sold them to other Overlords. Financially, she was actually ahead.

Her smile widened. She imagined Roquan was gloating over Freya's supposed predicament. It did delay her plans concerning Roquan, but not by much. She imagined the war would get worse, and thus Roquan would be seen in an ever worsening light. And now she could play on the sympathy of the other Overlords.

Everything was aligning in her favor despite this temporary setback.

Freya played with her slave as she waited, cupping a breast in her fingers, tweaking a nipple, caressing her thigh. Eveena trembled in need again, panting softly.

The Portal device began to thrum once more. It had fully charged and was ready. Freya gestured. Another crash of lightning, and the Portal opened again before her. She waved her hand, activating the spell that would shut down her Portal device once she was through and the Portal had closed.

She drew Eveena before her and snapped the chain. Without a backwards glance, she followed her slave and stepped into the Portal.

"Lanno, take the slaves back to the office," Roquan snapped.

"But, Overlord, Evella may be coming with her!" Lanno exclaimed. "I want to see that she's okay! Please let me stay just long enough to ..."

"The slaves need you more than Evella does."

Lanno sighed in exasperation as he stared at the slaves. Several stood huddled against each other, looking on in fear. Taya was attempting to keep them calm, but she was obviously anxious as well. Unlike the others, she had been to Wotan's Manor once, and knew immediately that something was very wrong.

"I am not in the mood for defiance, Lanno," said Roquan. "You are a Healer and I call upon you to do your duty to your Overlord. That is my final word."

Roquan turned away without waiting for a reply. Lanno glared at him, but then turned to Taya and helped her gently herd the slaves towards the Healer office.

The other two guards stood near the open door to the Portal chamber, crossbows loaded but held at their sides. The Overlord approached them. "Take up position on either side of the chamber. You will wait until Freya steps out of the building. I do not want to risk apprehending her with the Portal still active."

Both guards nodded and dashed back towards the building.

The third one stepped forward. "Your orders, my Lord?"

There was a flash of light and a crack of thunder from inside the chamber.

Roquan pointed. "Close that door, and hurry!"

Freya came to a stop behind her horny but confused slave and paused. She frowned. Surely Wotan would have returned by now to greet her properly? Or was this some way of subtlety snubbing her, since he had not been keen on providing accommodations for her slaves? And why would the door be closed?

Freya glanced back at the still-open Portal. Her hand gripped the chain tightly. She contemplated going back and Farviewing Wotan, just to see what the delay was. But if she did not counter the previous spell in time, the Portal would have to be re-energized, which would take several candlemarks at least.

Even as she was contemplating this, the Portal collapsed with a resounding boom. Eveena gasped and flinched nervously. Freya snapped at the chain in annoyance. "Behave yourself."

"I'm sorry, Mistress," Eveena said, her voice still breathless from her arousal. She shifted restlessly, now more from her unsatisfied sexual desire than anxiety.

As Eveena's hands were cuffed behind her, Freya led the way and pushed open the doors, snapping the chain once more to force Eveena into step behind her. She took a half-step across the threshold, stopping when she saw a lone guard ahead.

Freya placed a hand on her hip. "So, does Wotan tend to insult all his visitors like this by refusing to greet them at the Portal?"

"He was called away for a short while," the guard said, his tone a bit stiff. "I shall take you to him, my Lady."

Freya narrowed her eyes and glanced to either side. She did not move. "What is going on here? Wotan would not leave some underling to ..."

"He regrets the inconvenience. Please, come with me."

Freya sighed. She snapped the chain and walked forward. "This had better be good, or he will not hear the end of it from me. I have been through far too much to tolerate ..."

The guard swiftly raised his crossbow and trained it on the Overlord. Freya halted, her eyes widening in shock. "Overlord, please do not move."

Freya looked around her and up into the sky. She finally noticed the tropical trees that surrounded the clearing, and the tang of briny humidity in the air. Her teeth clenched. "Roquan," she muttered, her eyes burning. She started to back up.

The guard stepped forward. "Overlord! Please, do not ...!"

Freya yanked on the chain. Eveena stumbled and fell to one knee, coughing when the collar tugged hard at her neck. Freya grabbed her arm and pulled her hard to her feet. "Get up. Get up, you useless idiot!"

"I'm sorry, Mistress! I ... what?"

Eveena was thoroughly confused when she was planted directly before her Overlord, then frightened when she looked at the guard, though she was not sure why. She tried to back away, but there was no where to go, and Freya simply yanked on her chain harder.

Freya smirked and slowly backed up. "Now, don't get any stupid ideas. You're going to let me get back in the chamber and ..."

There was a noise behind her. Her head jerked in time to see two more guards surge towards her and level their weapons, blocking her way to the door.

Freya dropped her satchel and picked up the chain. She wrapped it once around Eveena's throat, and pulled hard at the ends. Eveena let out a strangled gasp, her eyes wide in terror.

"Back off!" Freya screamed.

The guards exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. Teeth clenched and bared like a wild animal, Freya yanked at the ends of the chain again. Eveena flailed as she choked. "Drop the weapons or I kill her."

The guards started to do so, paused, then raised them again.

Freya's eyes widened in abject panic. "Did you hear me? I said I ...!"

A hand landed heavily on her shoulder and spun her around. A second one backhanded her across the face. Both Freya and Eveena fell to the ground.

Roquan dropped to his knee beside the slave and removed the chain from around her throat. Eveena wheezed and coughed violently. The Overlord swiftly removed the cuffs and collar with an unlocking pearl. Eveena clutched at her tortured throat, but she was breathing again.

"You will be all right," Roquan said softly. He lifted his head and looked at the guards. He jerked his head towards Freya.

Two guards surged forward and grabbed one arm each. They dragged Freya to her feet. A small trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth. "Let go of me!" Freya shouted.

"Are you okay to stand?" Roquan asked of Eveena. The slave nodded, wiping away tears. The Overlord gently lifted her to her feet, grasping her hand lightly.

"I said let go!" Freya cried. "I am an Overlord! I deserve ...!"

Roquan spun around and slapped her across the face, eliciting a small gasp from Eveena. Freya stared at Roquan, her eyes burning with fury, but her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"You are an utter disgrace to the name 'Overlord.'" Roquan hissed through clenched teeth, eyes blazing.

"I second that!" boomed a voice behind them.

Roquan turned his head. Doran and Rennis stood a short distance away. Doran's arms were folded, a scowl on his face. Rennis was almost too shocked to react. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Same here," he said in a weak voice.

Roquan turned to the third guard. She felt Eveena tug at his hand and resist. Roquan paused and squeezed it gently. "It is all right. I am a proper Overlord. I will not let any harm come to you."

Eveena appeared to relax a bit, but her eyes flicked nervously to the guard and his weapon.

Roquan lifted his head. "Leave your weapon with me, and take this slave to the Healer office. Do not touch her in any way save for holding her hand. Do I make myself clear?"

"Very clear, my Lord."

Weapon and slave exchanged hands. Roquan gave Eveena a few more encouraging words before sending her on her way.

"Proper Overlord!" Freya snarled, still fighting the guards. "Look who is talking about being proper! The Overlord that kept and trained a Draughtless slave!"

"You are not one to talk!" Doran bellowed. "You, who enslaves Narlassi. You who would kill a slave in cold blood. You are worse than Gronnus. At least he simply abetted another in the act. You did the crime yourself! And you nearly did one now!"

"Why, Freya?" Rennis asked, distraught. "Why did you resort to this? Did you really need to alter the Draught?"

"You have to ask me that, Rennis?" Freya sneered. "Oh, yes, I forgot. You're Roquan's lackey now. You do whatever he wants. Both of you. You took the most pathetic of the Overlords and tried to elevate him to godhood! If you had just left him alone, he'd be nothing!"

"And his slaves would still be a thousand times better than yours!" Doran thundered.

"Enough. Enough!" Roquan snapped, interspersing himself between Doran and Freya.

Rennis tugged at Doran's arm. Doran shook it off violently, but turned away. He placed a hand over his chest and took a few moments to catch his breath.

Freya viciously yanked one of her arms and very nearly slipped it out of the guard's grip, forcing him to drop his crossbow to maintain his hold. Roquan took out the slave cuffs. "Force her arms behind her back."

Freya's mouth dropped open in shock. "You ... y-you wouldn't dare ..."

In her surprise, the guards had managed to bend her arms behind her. Freya let out a short scream and fought hard. The guards managed to cross her wrists together long enough for Roquan to secure the cuffs.

Rennis let out a sigh and turned away.

Freya pulled violently at the cuffs, but they held. When she attempted it a second time, the normal spell on the cuffs made the chain between them shorten and the cuffs constrict more tightly around her wrists, immobilizing them completely. She finally stopped and gasped in breath.

Roquan glared at Freya. "I should put the slave collar and chain about your neck as well, but I will afford you more dignity than that."

"More than she deserves, if you ask me," Doran called out.

"Doran, please ..." Rennis pleaded softly.

"You can't treat me this way, Roquan," Freya said, her voice still defiant, but shaky. She tried to blink away the tears that had appeared in her eyes before they could trickle down her reddened and welted cheeks. "When the other Overlords hear about this ..."

"I will abide by whatever they decide, after they have judged you and your actions," said Roquan in a voice like steel. "I will gladly submit myself to whatever justice they chose to mete out. But I will not allow you to continue to perpetrate your crimes."

Roquan glanced to the side, his eyes falling on the satchel that lay on the ground. He stepped over to it and picked it up. "Or destroy evidence." He tossed it towards Rennis. The surprised Overlord barely had time to grab it. He exchanged a look with the other two Overlords.

"Well, get on with it!" Doran said. "It must be in there!"

Rennis did not care for rifling through another's person effects, but he was curious as well. He opened the satchel and peered inside. Soon he had extracted a scroll.

Doran snatched it from him. He slipped off the band and unrolled it, frowning. "Yes, this looks like a formula for a Draught, though it has ingredients I've never even heard of."

"Keep it safe, Doran," said Roquan. He turned to Freya. "Which reminds me, Freya. Where is your Healer? Where is Evella, the one that did this for you?"

Freya's lips curled into a wicked grin. "She's gone."

Roquan's eyes burned. "You killed her?"

Freya paused for a moment, then chuckled. "Let's just put it this way. Evella is simply no more. Make of that what you will."

The young slave girl finally seemed to relax a bit and even offered a faint smile as Amanda lay a hand lightly on her thigh.

"It's okay, you're safe here," Amanda said softly. "Are you hurt in any way?"

The slave girl shook her head. "No, I'm fine. Just ... just a little nervous ..."

Amanda tried to smile reassuringly. In reality, she was anxious herself. She never had to deal with a scared patient before. Vanlo had taught her how to handle one, since sometimes new Captives would still be skittish after being collared, but where Roquan had not taken new Captives since Amanda arrived, she never had to put it into practice.

She tried not to think of the terrible things that Freya might have done to this poor girl, but she had to give the slave a full examination, which meant a thorough look in intimate areas as well. "What's your name?" Amanda asked.

"Reela, Mistress."

Amanda smiled. "My name is Amanda, and you don't need to call me Mistress. I'm not a Trainer."

"Oh? Okay."

"I need to examine you, Reela. It won't hurt at all, but I need you to sit up straight and let me touch you."

Reela smiled and nodded eagerly. She scooted forward on the edge of the examination table.

Amanda started the examination with a visual inspection of her body, looking for any obvious bruises, cuts, or contusions. She wondered now if the girl was a true Captive from offworld or one of the Narlassi that Freya was supposed to have enslaved with the Draught. She suppressed a shiver. The thought that Freya could already be at the Manor again filled her with dread. She knew Roquan would not let Freya near her, but it still made her uncomfortable. She had hoped to have nothing to do with her ever again.

She examined Reela's hair for dandruff or other signs that it had not been cared for properly. It had a nice, healthy sheen. Next she checked Reela's joints and reflexes. Occasionally, she glanced at the others. Vanlo was handling his examinations with ease. Lanno looked very tense. Vanlo must have sensed it, since he gave Lanno only the older and more experienced slaves to work on, who were nowhere near as skittish.

Amanda was concerned for him. She guessed that he was worried about Evella. She wanted to talk to him, but they were all too busy. Amanda had at least one more slave to examine after this.

Finally, Amanda had to check Reela's intimate areas. She gently cupped each breast, squeezing it carefully, making sure the flesh was soft and pliant. She teased the nipples until they were erect and examined them for irritation or evidence of overuse of naiduna salve. By the time she was done, the slave was panting lightly.

Amanda crouched before Reela and nudged the slave's legs apart further. Her sex was already very wet just from the brief, light touches to her breasts. It made the examination a little harder, requiring Amanda to poke and prod at Reela more. This would only inflame the girl's lust.

Roquan's slaves don't react this fast or this much, Amanda thought. She shuddered to think how much of the sex-enhancing herb Freya used, and how addled it left their heads to have to constantly satisfy their sexual cravings.

Amanda stood and smiled. "You're perfectly fine, Reela."

"Mmm, thank you ..." Reela moaned, shivering.

Amanda slipped her hand between Reela's thighs. The slave girl willingly reopened her legs and let out a husky sigh as her sex was touched, this time in a deliberately stimulating manner. Amanda swiftly took the girl to orgasm, leaving her panting in the afterglow. "Stand over there with the others, please. Master Roquan will be here later to take care of you all."

Reela pushed herself off the table. "Amanda, do you know where Mistress Freya is?"

Far away from here, I wish, Amanda thought. "I'm not sure. Master Roquan will take care of everything later."

"He's another Overlord, right?"

"Yes, that's right. And you obey him as you would Fr ... Mistress Freya."

Reela looked uncertain for a moment, then smiled and nodded. She trotted away.

There was a noise by the entrance. Amanda looked up in time to see Vanlo leave his patient and quickly cross the room to a soft cry of "good heavens ..."

Amanda turned her head. A guard had brought in another slave. Vanlo rushed up to them and seemed to be interested in the girl's neck. She looked frightened, more so than the others.

Curious, Amanda drew closer. There was a haunted look to the girl's eyes that made Amanda shiver. And what were those nasty welts around her neck? Her eyes widened. If she did not know any better, she would have sworn that someone had tried to strangle her.

Vanlo nodded at something the guard told him. "Yes, yes, I will take care of her, thank you for bringing her."

The guard nodded and made a hasty exit.

"It's all right, my dear," Vanlo said gently. "Please, no need to be frightened. No one will hurt you here. Does your throat still hurt?"

"A little," the slave said in a small, quavering voice.

Amanda gasped. Gods, someone DID try to strangle her! Who could have ...?

"Evella!"

Amanda nearly jumped. She barely had time to turn her head when Lanno burst forward, grasping the girl by the shoulders.

"Evella? Evella, are you all right?"

The girl simply stared in confusion and fear.

"Lanno, stop it, you are frightening her!" Vanlo admonished, pulling Lanno's arm.

"Vanlo, this is Evella! This ...!"

"No matter who she is, Lanno, she is my patient, and you will kindly back off."

Amanda stared. That was Evella? But ...

Lanno let go, but there was a wild look to his eyes. He glanced down at her body as if noticing it for the first time. "But at least get her some damn clothes, Vanlo! She's not a gods damned slave!"

The girl backed away from Lanno. Vanlo gently draped an arm about her shoulders, but she nearly pulled away. "Easy, it's all right, my dear. You are Evella?"

"I ... I ... n-no ..." the girl stammered, still staring fearfully at Lanno. "My n-name is Eveena. I'm ... I-I'm Mistress Freya's slave."

"Vanlo, I'm telling you, this is Evella!" Lanno cried. "She looks and sounds just like her. Evella, don't you remember? Don't you remember me? What ..."

Lanno stopped. His eyes widened in horror.

Vanlo sighed. "I am sorry, Lanno. If this Evella, it is likely that Freya gave her the modified Draught."

Lanno staggered back as if struck. His gaze rose. It fixed on Eveena's neck. His jaw tightened. His hands clenched into fists. He turned and ran from the treatment room, his face twisted in fury, his eyes burning with towering rage.

"Lanno! Lanno, stop!" Vanlo shouted, but Lanno was already out of the building and tearing down the path. Vanlo let out a sigh, and his shoulders slumped. He looked helplessly over the treatment room. "I can't leave ... not now ... not ..."

"I'll go after him, Master!" Amanda cried, and took off barely after the words were out of her mouth.

"She is playing games with us, Roquan," Doran said.

"I agree," said Roquan. "Freya, I will not spar with you. I will not beg for the privilege of a clear answer from you. Whatever other crimes you have done, they will come to light eventually."

"And just what do you expect to do with me?" Freya demanded, half in anger and half in fear. "You can't just keep me here as long as you please! Unlike you, I have friends among the Overlords. Friends that have actual power. They will be demanding that you be deposed!"

"Interesting threat coming from someone who essentially has been deposed already," Doran said loftily.

"Not by my own choice, you sanctimonious lout."

"Oh-ho! Sanctimonious, am I? Should I tell you what really happened, Freya? How your supposedly powerful friends have already betrayed you?"

"Is that really necessary, Doran?" Rennis asked.

"Why not? Perhaps it will finally deflate that ego of hers. Or at least rob her of that haughty arrogance."

"I just don't see what it will accomplish to humiliate her."

"No, not humiliation, Rennis," said Roquan. "Just truth. So she can know what the Overlords are really thinking about her."

"What are you babbling about?" Freya demanded.

Roquan turned to her. "There is no Imperial legion headed towards your Manor, Freya. It was a ruse staged to make you believe there was."

Freya's struggles stopped. She stared, wide-eyed.

"I discovered your insipid little trick with the altered Farview pearl. And when I discovered what you had done with the Draught, I knew that you had to be stopped. I arranged for you to believe that you were about to be besieged. We convinced Trennan -- yes, Trennan! -- to abet in the ruse, as well as several Noble Lords that you might contact, so you would abandon your Manor and stop your use of the Draught."

"You ... you actually ... you and Trennan ... " Freya sputtered. Her face contorted in fury. "You bastard. You hells-spawned bastard."

"Trennan was so thoroughly disgusted by your actions, Freya, that he offered to be the one to break the news to you. I was originally to do that with the pearl. That is how much you support you supposedly have with the other Overlords. Do you seriously believe that anyone will give you the time of day let alone their support after Trennan talks to them? You are living a delusion, Freya. It is about time you face reality."

For the first time, the look of fear on Freya's face was untainted by anger or indignation. She slumped against the hands holding her arms, her eyes downcast and wet.

Roquan caught movement out of the corner of his eye. The guard he had sent to take the remaining slave to Vanlo had returned. He turned to the guards holding Freya. "Take her to an unused slave quarters on the west side of the Manor. I will send the third to fetch a Captive chain from Sirinna to hold her there." He handed the unlocking pearl to one of them. "Use this to remove her cuffs."

"Yes, my Lord," the guard said. He pocketed the pearl and nodded to his cohort. Freya offered only token resistance as she was hauled away.

Rennis watched her go and stepped up to Roquan. "Again, was that really necessary?" he asked in a low but urgent voice.

"Yes, it was," Doran answered for him. "Finally shut her up."

"I did not do it to break her, Doran," Roquan said in irritation. "I felt that the sooner she faced the truth, the better it would be for all of us. Perhaps she will be more cooperative when we ask her what she did with her slaves. Or if she knows what Gronnus did with ..."

"Wait, Roquan, is that Lanno?" Rennis began.

Roquan turned. Lanno barreled past the approaching guard, nearly bowling him over, and dashed for the guards ferrying Freya. The Overlord got only a glimpse of the Healer's face, but it was enough.

"Blazing hellfire," Roquan muttered, and took off.

"Roquan! What is it?" Doran demanded.

Rennis had not seen Lanno's face from his angle, but he could sense something was amiss. He started after Roquan at a brisk jog, but then broke into a dead run when Lanno collided at full speed with Freya. She was yanked out of the surprised guards' grasp, spinning away and falling hard to the ground, kicking up sand and dust. Then Lanno was atop her, and squeezing his fingers around her neck until she could not breathe.

"You bitch!" Lanno screamed. "You filthy BITCH!"

The guards drew their crossbows.

"No!" Roquan shouted as he hurtled past. He grabbed Lanno's arm. Rennis followed and came alongside opposite Roquan, pulling at the other arm.

"Great gods," Doran muttered as he struggled to catch up.

Freya gasped and choked, struggling in vain under Lanno's weight. Both Overlords clenched their teeth as they pulled at Lanno's arms.

"She Draughted Evella!" Lanno bellowed, his eyes blurred with tears. "This bitch Draughted her! Let go!"

"Lanno, no, stop it! Stop it! Don't do this!" screamed Amanda.

Hearing Amanda's voice took just enough of the edge off Lanno's rage that his hands were pulled free from Freya's neck. Freya drew in a great gasp of air, wheezing badly.

"Sh-she Draughted her!" Lanno cried. Tears stained his face. "Gods damn it! Let go!"

Lanno fought like a wild animal. The guards surged forward, but Roquan warned them off. "No! Take Freya to Vanlo! She's been hurt!"

"D-don't!" Lanno cried, as the guard moved to carry out Roquan's orders. "Don't treat her. She doesn't deserve it! Sh-she ..."

"You don't mean that!" Amanda cried, running up to them.

"Amanda, please! Not now!" Roquan snapped.

Rennis clenched his teeth hard. He was already in pain from several stretched tendons. He was not sure he could hang on to the enraged Healer much longer.

Amanda ignored the Overlord. "Lanno, please, don't do this," she said, her own eyes glistening. "Please, don't. Stop it. You can't kill her. You're not like that."

Lanno stared at her, at first in anger, but it faded quickly, and his face screwed up in anguish. He stopped struggling. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

Amanda looked at the Overlords. "Please, let him go."

Rennis looked questioningly at Roquan. Roquan paused and nodded once. They let go.

Lanno stumbled forward and fell to his knees. Amanda ran to him. As soon as she was within reach, Lanno clutched at her. "I'm s-sorry ..."

Amanda had to take a deep breath and wipe her own eyes. "I-It's okay," she said in a shaky voice.

"I-I didn't mean it ... just ... E-Evella ..."

Amanda crouched and hugged him, and let him cry on her shoulder. She closed her own eyes and took another deep breath, but it did not help this time. A tear trickled from her eye as well.

Vanlo stepped back into the office. The eyes of all three Overlords turned to him. Lanno did not lift his head. He remained in his seat, his eyes downcast, barely moving. Amanda stood by him, an arm draped over his shoulders. She looked up as well, as she could not bear looking at Lanno without wanting to cry again.

"Overlord Freya will recover," Vanlo said. "She suffered no permanent damage."

The Overlords exchanged looks. No one wanted to be the first to say that this was good news. "Thank you, Vanlo," Roquan said. "Your usual excellent work."

Vanlo shook his head. "If Lanno had truly been intent on killing her, we would not be as fortunate."

Lanno seemed to hang his head lower. Amanda sighed softly.

"And what of Evella, Vanlo?" Roquan asked.

Vanlo glanced at Lanno. The young Healer did not move. "She will recover from Freya's assault, though I had to heal some minor damage to her throat. I will also begin working on a restorative at once for her memories."

Lanno looked up. His eyes were puffy and red. "What?"

Vanlo turned and cast a cool look at him, and his voice was crisp. "Had you waited one more moment, I would have told you that I could mix a potion to reverse the Draught. Or did you forget what I had spent a full moon working on?"

"But ... but I thought it would only ..."

"The intent was only to restore intelligence. I had trouble extricating it from memory restoration. To actually craft something to do both would be far easier by comparison."

Lanno stared. "Vanlo, I'm s ..."

But the older Healer had already turned away from him.

"This is some good news indeed," Doran said, though his enthusiasm was carefully muted. "Since you thought some of Freya's slaves were Narlassi."

"I should point out, your Lordships, that to apply the counter-Draught could be traumatic," said Vanlo. "There is every reason to believe that these unfortunates will remember everything that they experienced while forced to be slaves."

"Evella, too?" Lanno asked.

"Yes, Evella as well," replied Vanlo without turning around.

Amanda frowned. She did not like the cold shoulder that Vanlo was giving him. She dropped into a crouch and hugged Lanno. He closed his eyes and embraced her in return, struggling to hold back fresh tears.

"Nevertheless, Vanlo, we cannot leave them like this," Rennis said. "They never should have been slaves to begin with."

"But if they come from offworld, it's perfectly fine," Amanda muttered to herself.

Roquan raised an eyebrow. "Did you have something to say, Amanda?"

Amanda looked up and cast an openly defiant look at the Overlord. "No, Master, not a thing."

"If that is your decision, your Lordship?" Vanlo said, looking expectantly at Roquan.

Roquan nodded. "It is."

"Then I will make enough for several doses. It will take me a full day to properly brew it. I suggest making appropriate accommodations for them until I am ready."

"The inexperienced slaves have been placed under Sirinna's care. I am unsure of what to do with Evella."

"Put her with Lanno," Doran said, casting a sidelong glance at the younger Healer. "He seems enamored of her enough."

Lanno's face darkened. He broke off the embrace and bolted to his feet. "I resent that implication, Overlord!"

Doran frowned. "What implication?"

"That I would take advantage of her condition to force myself on her sexually!"

"Blazing hellfire, I didn't mean that!"

"Lanno, sit down," Vanlo said sharply. "Do not make this situation worse than it is."

Lanno glared at Vanlo, but Amanda tugged gently at his arm. He let out an exasperated sigh and collapsed into the chair.

Vanlo turned to Doran. "My apologies. What I believe he means is that in her present state, Evella will need frequent sexual pleasuring. It would be awkward for Lanno to supply that, given that we do not know what her feelings are towards him."

"Yes, I figured that out," Doran said sourly. "Just put her with the others. She's already used to being around them. And Roquan always touts Sirinna as a miracle worker anyway."

Roquan took that as a backhanded compliment and nodded. "Very well. I will have her taken there at once. I believe we are done here, Vanlo, we will leave you to your work."

"I have one question for you, your Lordship," said Vanlo. "Do you intend to prosecute Lanno for any sort of crime?"

"What?" Amanda cried.

Roquan raised a hand towards her before answering the Healer. "No. I will leave it to you to assign any appropriate discipline."

"Very well, your Lordship."

Roquan turned to Amanda. "The Overlord is considered to be the final word in determining the prosecution of crimes committed on the Manor grounds. His question was one that needed to be asked."

"Oh," Amanda said. The anger faded from her face. "Thank you for explaining it, Master."

Roquan turned away and headed out of the room. Rennis and Doran reluctantly followed. Vanlo waited until they were out of the office, his hands folded primly before him. He then turned to Lanno.

Lanno sighed heavily and looked away. "No need to punish me, Vanlo."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I can't do it anymore after this. I'm resigning as a Healer."

"What? No!" Amanda cried. "You can't ...!"

"Amanda is correct," Vanlo said.

Lanno frowned. "What do you mean I can't?"

"Because you would then compound one stupid thing that you did today with something that was far more stupid. The point of doing stupid things, Lanno, is so you learn from them and not do them again."

"Vanlo, I nearly killed someone!" Lanno exclaimed. "Remember the oath? Do no harm! I didn't exactly live up to that, now did I?"

"What I told his Lordship was not a lie. You caused no serious damage to her despite your strength."

"It took both Master Roquan and Master Rennis to pull Lanno from her," Amanda said.

"And yet you caused no catastrophic damage. Unlike Freya, who did cause damage, because she had the intent that you do not."

Lanno clenched his teeth. "I was so angry with her, Vanlo. I hated her. I wanted to see her dead!"

"And yet she lives." He paused for a moment, looking away as if collecting his thoughts. "Did I ever tell you, Lanno, that I sometimes wish to see Jollis dead?"

Amanda looked up. Her heart lurched, but she said nothing. Lanno looked incredulously at the elder Healer.

"Yes, it is true. Only occasionally. Usually when I am frustrated with something else and the thought comes to me of how he had ripped a part of my psyche from me for what ultimately was a political reason. The point is, Lanno, that we do not stop having human thoughts and emotions when we become Healers. Perhaps some of our patients expect us to be saintly and perfect in everything we do, but it is an unrealistic expectation. Do not impose it upon yourself."

Lanno sighed. He shook his head and spread his hands. "I don't know what to say."

"It matters not. A senior Healer is required to accept a resignation and notify the Guild Hall. I reject your resignation."

"Then you're insane."

"Very well, I am insane. All the more reason for you to remain a Healer, for you can pick up my workload while I am proven to be mentally unbalanced."

Amanda could not help but smile.

"You're not going to make this easier on me, are you?" said Lanno.

"I am old, stubborn, and set in my ways. It is my job to make life difficult for someone."

And at this, Amanda laughed. Lanno looked at her and managed to crack a small smile.

"Lanno, you had a lapse of good judgment. But you are still a very fine Healer, so I do not wish to assign a tedious punishment that will distract you from your primary job. Therefore, you are temporarily demoted from Master to Journeyman."

Lanno blinked and his smile vanished. "Wait, what?"

"I believe you heard me, or you would not have phrased your demand that way or with that tone of voice," said Vanlo smoothly. "You will not have diminished duties, Lanno. But you will need to take your final Mastership test to regain that rank again."

Amanda looked between the two of them. Despite the apparent renewed tension, she sensed this was going to work out between them. She did not want Lanno to leave. He showed a side of him that intrigued her. Not the aggression towards Freya, but what was behind it. She did not know he had that much passion, that he could care for someone that much.

Though she did admit that it made her a little jealous of Evella.

"You can't expect me to return to the Guild to take that test!" Lanno declared.

"A re-test following a demotion can be administered by a senior Healer as well. A trip to the Guild Hall is not required."

Lanno paused. "Wait ... you'll administer it? And make up the questions on it?"

Vanlo stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Hmm. I imagine I would need to do that as well, yes."

Lanno sighed. "You're going to put chemistry questions on it, aren't you?"

Vanlo smiled.

"I hate you."

"Well, then, a job well done where punishment is concerned."

Amanda giggled. Lanno slowly smiled and laughed as well.

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