~ Preparation ~

The last almost two weeks seem to have been an exercise by the universe in making us as embarrassed as possible, until we got used to it, and then doing it again.

And again. And again.

I thought there would be an end to this. Well, not today.

I had never seen a communal bathhouse before. Apparently they are all the rage down in the southern provinces. They also turned out to be useful for other reasons to the slaver's guild. They had a lot of product to get clean for sale, and this was the most efficient way possible.

We folded up our meager three possessions, the cloth of our loincloth, the rope that held it up, and the little leather strip we kept our hair back, and left them on the edge of the long pool. And there we were, nakid with something like a hundred other slaves.

I guess I was not thinking about it when we started to bathe each other. I mean, being twins alone got us looks. Bathing each other, well, that got a bit more attention.

Some of these slaves, well, they were bigger than the two of us put together, and looked mean as hell.

It was nice to get really clean again after the trip where all we could really do was brush ourselves out if we didn't want to jump in a freezing cold river or something. Which, I might add, we had at one point.

It was also nice to get out of there. I was starting to get a bit creeped out.

From there we were taken to some offices. They looked important, if busy, and we were left to wait outside as Radam went into one to do some business. I didn't know it involved us initially, until someone came out and told us to come inside.

The fellow that asked us to come inside politely informed us that we would be before Grand Master Slaver Osul.

A Grand Master Slaver had as much power of life and death over a slave as a high noble did. Offending him could cost you your life. So I had been told by my Masters.

We were terrified.

In the presence of leaders of various guilds, and nobility, it is appropriate for slaves to kneel unless told otherwise. So as we came in, we kneeled side by side with our hands clasped behind our backs, and our heads bowed. It was considered one of the more formal stances.

Osul, as it turned out, was a badger. He was graying in the facefur, so he had to be fairly old, but otherwise didn't really show it.

"Huh, so this is them, eh?" said Osul as he got up from behind his desk to walk over to us. I had not even seen his eyes since I knew better than to meet them, but I swear I could feel them on me as he walked around us.

I started thinking carefully about proper tail posture, because it's damn hard not to twitch your tail when your that nervous, you know? I suspect my brother was thinking something similar, but this was not the place to ask.

"Well, I've not seen something like this in many many years. Certainly attractive enough, and they seem well behaved." He sat on the edge of his desk and was quite for a minute.

"Leave me with the slaves for a minute."

I could hear the surprise in Radam and Kaust's vocies as they said, "of course, Grand Master" and excused themselves from the room.

And here I thought being nude surrounded by a bunch of scary looking slaves was unnerving. My stomach wanted to turn inside out. The fact he didn't say anything at first didn't help. He got up and gave us another looking over, and then took his place leaning back against his desk, this time right before us.

"Radam has asked me to put my seal on your papers." He let that hang in the air for a while. What was going on here?

"He believes that you are exceptional merchandise. However, such a statement on your papers would reflect poorly on this guild, and Radam, if you proved him wrong."

Again it was quite for a while. I guess he was letting that sink in.

"He tells me you were close friends of his son, is this true?"

I had to swallow before I could even speak, and I got out as fast as I could, "yes, Grand Master Slaver Osul."

I believe he waved his hand at us as he spoke, "Oh, Grand Master will do, slaves." Of course, I could be wrong, since I didn't dare take my eyes off the rug in front of me. It was a very nice rug, comfortable on the knees...

I had to clench my teeth for a moment as he let the silence hang there just to keep my tail from flicking around. I was never very good at controlling my tail, it got me smacked more than once in the ass by Radam's crop.

"How did you become friends with Apprentice Kaust, slaves?"

My brother was being quiet, though I could feel his hip against mine shift a bit as he tried to keep still.

"We got to know him while doing deliveries for my father, Grand Master."

He said, "Go on, Slave" now I think talking directly to me.

"I, er... we just got along, Grand Master. He was fun to hang out with, and talk of his apprenticeship was interesting, and he was always curious what we were doing for our father. We spent a lot of time together because he didn't have much else to do."

"You mean he didn't have many other friends, don't you?"

Why by the gods was he asking me these things?

"I..." I think I sighed a little, and admitted, "Yes, Grand Master, most of the town avoided his family."

"And they didn't make it uncomfortable for you to play with this boy?"

"Sometimes, Grand Master, but he was our friend. I wasn't going to turn my back on him because other people were afraid of him."

He never explained why he was asking these things, he just said, "You may go, slaves. Inform Master Radam and Apprentice Kaust that they may return now."

We got up, and is proper, backed away several paces before turning around and exiting the room. My brother said, "Masters, he wishes to see you again." They went in.

My hands would not stop shaking.