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FULL CIRCLE By Geneva START That I would be punished was certain and when it would happen was not in doubt either. The only question was what form it would take. Queen Medere had just pronounced the four of us guilty and I knew that punishments of the Genorian state were severe and carried out almost immediately after trials. My three co-conspirators, Kadir, Telor and Selakos, were kneeling beside me and I felt Kadir trembling with fear. Selakos was actually sniveling. Telor was trying, like me, to hold himself as still as possible. I did not want to give Medere the satisfaction of seeing my fear. The queen rose to her feet stared down at us. It was a special session of her daily court and she was in her dark red formal robes of office and attended by her five slave girls. To her one side was an older woman who I had been told was Myrine, the queen's mother and a former queen herself. On her other side the chancellor stood, dressed in gray robes with a chain of office about her neck. Several of Medere's guards were close by, poised in case of trouble and with their hands on their sword hilts, not that trouble was likely. The four of us were well bound. The guards were all female, as was common in this country, but muscled, almost as much as any man, and tanned and fit. I was on my knees before her, my hands bound behind my back and a short chain between my ankles. The rest of the court was filled with curious onlookers. I had heard their cries of anger when our crimes were read out. Now that we had been found guilty, some began calling for our deaths. At a glare from the queen, they subsided into a resentful silence. Kadir, Telor, Selakos and I thought we had seen an opportunity in Genoria. It was essentially a state run by women, with a ruling queen, although I had been told that only a few years previously it had begun to accept a role for men in it and to tolerate men coming to trade or provide services. There was a legend that Genoria had been founded by some Amazon refugees and, following Amazonian tradition, had established a society with no role for men, other than to impregnate Genorian women at times prescribed by ancient custom and ritual. Then, a few years ago after attempted invasion by a neighboring kingdom, the previous ruler, Queen Myrine, had begun to allow men in, and even to marry some of the women. She had even taken a husband, but his governing role was much eclipsed by her own. After some investigation, the four of us had entered Genoria, ostensibly to investigate trade, but really with the intention of eventually overthrowing the queen and the rule of women. We hoped to use bribes to persuade the men of the state to rebel against the queen and her female officials and also to allow more and more men to enter. Of course, they really would have been trained soldiers. Once in, we intended to overthrow the gynarchy. The queen would be captured, along with the women officials. We would take over and the men in our forces would take the women for slaves or wives. When I saw Medere, I toyed with the idea of making her my personal slave. She was a strikingly beautiful woman. She would look well, naked and chained to my bed. If she resisted, we would have her executed. Our intention had been to install Kadir, the oldest of us, as the new ruler of Genoria, but I had other plans in mind. Once our position was consolidated I intended to get rid of him and install myself as king. Perhaps then Medere would recognize that her best hope would be to consent to become my wife. Of course, that would be only for official purposes and to reduce unrest in the population. In reality she would still be my slave. We had originally intended to simply take over the state but, seeing the beauty of all the Genorian women, another idea had come to mind. Such beautiful women would be in high demand as slaves in the Greek city states and Mesopotamia and elsewhere. We had come up with the idea of kidnapping some of the young women and smuggling them out to the slave markets. Our first attempts had been very successful. We had actually been able to ship out two groups of a dozen or so girls. We abducted them from the outlying districts or poorer parts of the city, drugged them and held in a cellar in our warehouse. Later, they were squeezed into tiny cages and smuggled out to boats in the harbor owned by some trading partners. They were soon in high demand. Unfortunately we became careless and someone noticed us capture a girl. The queen's agents had raided our warehouse, and discovered five young women in an underground cage, getting readied for shipping. Also, they had discovered our plans to overthrow the state. They had arrested us and thrown us into prison. I still hurt from their rigorous interrogations. Now we had undergone trial and been pronounced guilty of kidnapping and sedition. The latter at least was probably an unusual crime in this small state. Look at me!" the queen commanded." You four, Merdones, Telor, Kadir, Selakos, have attempted to overthrow my rule here." She gave a venomous look to each of us in turn as she spoke our names. "In addition, you kidnapped and sold some of my citizens into slavery and we had to make strenuous efforts to rescue them. Your guilt is evident and you have shown little contrition. I could have you all executed and your head stuck on spikes on the city wall. Fortunately no one was killed in your plot but you will be severely punished as a deterrent to others." There was a cheer from the audience. I recognized some of the women we had kidnapped. "Kill them all!" I heard one scream. The queen held up her hand to quieten the noise and gave a hard smile. "You apparently did not approve of women running a society. In fact it seemed you were openly contemptuous, not only of my rule, but that of women in general. You don't approve of women having power? For that I have a suitable punishment. "I will not sentence you to death, but you will be made slaves and we will sell you away from here, along the coast, to get rid of you." I had expected as much. At least our lives were to be spared. Slavery would be bad enough but I was totally shaken by her next words. "But, so that you will rue your presumption, all of you will first be changed to women." She hesitated and gave a feral smile when she heard our gasps of astonishment. "We have methods to do this, ancient ones, that have helped in our society. So, we are going to make you into women, of your own age." She gave a sarcastic smile." Actually, you will be quite comely, and should fetch a good price in the slave markets. The sentence will be carried out within one day. That way, for the rest of your miserable lives, you will experience the female slavery that you tried to inflict on my citizens. It will not be easy for you in places other than this. A fitting punishment! I am queen here I take my duties seriously to protect all from adventurers and rogues like you." I was totally bewildered at the thought of being changed to a woman. We had heard rumors that the Genorians did this in the past but had dismissed it as some ridiculous legend. It was totally unbelievable. "Please, Queen Medere," I croaked, "you cannot do that. I was born a man. I must stay as one!" She actually seemed amused. "By what rules?" she asked. "No, my judgment is made." She signaled to some of her palace guards, all women. "Take these wretches down to the cellar. I will carry out the sentence later tonight." As the guards pulled at us Selakos struggled and shouted. "Never, I will not be a woman!" "Nor I," I cried, but Kadir and Telor remained quiet. "As you wish," said the queen, contemptuously. She signaled and six guards standing at the side immediately leaped on us and dragged me, followed by Selakos, through a door that led to the outside. I drew in my breath when I saw dark stains on the flagstones. They looked like old dried blood. In a minute another woman who seemed to be some type of official came to stand by us. She was dressed in a short leather skirt and with some bronze armor over her chest. She held a heavy sword. "I am Sala, the queen's head of security." She stared at us malevolently. "This punishment is too quick. If I had my way you would be thrown to wild dogs. Make them kneel!" she commanded the female guards. We struggled but we were forced to our knees on the flagstones. Selakos was behind me. I heard him still protesting and then his voice was more frantic, screaming until it was suddenly cut off. I heard a soft thud on the ground and when an object rolled by me a wave of horror washed over me. It was Selakos' severed head, blood pouring from it. The eyes flickered for a moment then went still. I looked round and saw his headless body lying in a spreading pool of blood. Sala was holding a bloodied heavy sword. "Now your turn," she said. When another guard seized my hair and pulled it forward to stretch my neck my courage left me." Please!" I screamed. "Do not kill me. I will accept the sentence." Sala held up her sword. "You no longer object to it?" she asked. I was broken. "No!" I shook my head. "Please, spare me!" At another signal from her my hair was released and I was dragged back into the palace and placed beside Kadir and Telor. "I see you have changed your mind," sneered the queen. "So you are not as brave as you thought! Take them away!" she commanded. I did not reply and Sala and some guards pulled us out of the room and at sword point pushed us along a corridor, down some flights of stairs and into a cellar and into a cage constructed of of iron bars. Our legs were chained to rings set in the floor and the cage door was slammed behind us, locking us in. The rest of that day we lay there in the gloom, sick with apprehension. At one time a guard came to us with food and water but I could hardly eat. I had tried my chains, somehow hoping to slip them but they were too well fastened. "I do not want to be a woman," Kadir muttered. "Neither do I, but you see she is serious. It is that or death." Telor whimpered. "I am afraid, Merdones. We will be slaves, and female. She says we will be beautiful too. You know what that could mean. Men would use us. I could not stand that. Our lives may not be worth living." I did not want to think about it. The sun must have been setting and the gloom in the cell was getting even deeper when a guard came with a torch and a large cloth bundle. She stuck the torch in a wall bracket and unwrapped the bundle. It held Selakos' head. She gave a malicious leer at us as she placed it on a ledge, the blank glazed eyes facing us and reflecting the flickering light of the torch. I felt nauseous when I saw some of the flies in the cellar settle on the head. She was about to say something but stopped, unlocked the cell door and stood aside at the noise of footsteps coming down the stone stairs. Queen Medere ducked her head as she came into the cell, frowning slightly as her lustrous, piled, ornamented hair brushed the cell door. She was followed by two of her personal slaves and her chancellor and some guards. She had changed out of her formal dark red gown into a simpler dark gold one trimmed with red, and no longer wore her crown, but her hair was still but her hair was still up showing her small ears, the lobes decorated with gold earrings set with dark red jewels. "I hope you are ready. I am going to read a spell to you three. You will first shiver, then fall unconscious while the changes that make you into women take place. You will wake in about a day and half as women. I should tell you that at first, although you will have the bodies of women, you will still have male feelings and think as men. But eventually, it usually takes some months, you will begin to think as women and accept your new bodies. Accepting your position as a rightless female slave may take longer. "You are ready?" I was so overwhelmed that I could not answer and she glared at me and repeated the question, louder. My throat was dry. "Yes, I am ready, " I croaked. I was not ready. I never would be but I had no choice. My companions did the same. The severed head faced us with sightless eyes, warning us of the alternative. "Then I will start." She opened a small bag and drew out a parchment scroll, unrolled it and, first looking at us, began to read some strange sounding words. "In case you are interested, this was handed down to me through a line of my ancestors, all female," she added. It had not taken long for her to read it. I don't know what I was expecting but nothing happened. I looked down at my body, then at my companions but we were still men. I wondered if it had not worked but Medere showed no surprise. "You are wondering if it has not worked? I assure you it will, in a few minutes." The queen was watching us intently. It was warm and humid in the cellar and some sweat trickled down my brow, but with my bound hands I could not wipe it. "You see my two attendants here?" asked the queen, pointing to them. "They were once men too. Don't you think they are beautiful women?" The two girls blushed. It was hard to believe they had once been men. Their slim graceful figures were totally female, with long necks, high breasts, narrow waists and nicely shaped hips. Their faces were pretty, with full lips. Their features were all enhanced by subtle cosmetics. Their dark ringlets of hair, set with ornaments, hung over their shoulders. Their breasts pushed out the tops of their gowns, with smaller bumps from their prominent nipples. "Yes, they were once free men, but strayed into our territory and as a penalty for their intrusion have been changed to women. It will also discourage others. That way I can control and train them better to be useful members of this society. I use these two as attendants to serve me for some time, and when I'm satisfied that they are trained well, I will free them. Actually I am being very generous. Being a woman here in Genoria is a privilege. "However, a life here is not for the three of you. Your crime is too heinous. You will be sold away from here to uncivilized lands where men rule and where women have few rights, and as slaves you will have absolutely no rights. So, you should trouble us no more. A fitting punishment for trying to enslave my citizens!" I felt a slight shudder, changing to a shiver. I frowned. The room had been warm. The queen nodded knowingly. "Shivering is the first sign. It will not be long now." I felt another shiver, so severe I cried out. Almost immediately yet another shiver took me. "I am cold," I gasped. The other two gave grunts of discomfort too. The queen nodded. "It is the spell. You," she pointed to one of her slaves, "tell them what will happen to them." The girl swallowed and hesitatingly, she spoke, her voice husky. "When Queen Medere read it to me I began to shiver after a few minutes then it got more and more severe until I fell unconscious. When I woke after almost two days I was a woman, completely. I had lost all of my manhood." She blushed. "My body was totally female. I had breasts and between my legs I had only folds and an opening. All that was left of my male body was a little tuft or two of male hair and these soon fell out. I was very sore all over my body for almost a day afterwards but I soon recovered." "Tell them how you got used to your new body," Medere commanded. The girl spoke awkwardly. "Yes, and in a month I had a bleeding time, like woman do, but for some months I still thought and felt as a man. I did not want my new body but that too changed. Now I am glad." It was more and more difficult to concentrate on what she was saying as I was almost shivering continuously. The girl stroked my cheek and kissed it. "Best accept what has been done to you. I am happy with what happened to me. Now I have a beautiful face and body and I work hard to learn from the queen so that I can be a true and effective member of this state." Before I could think more about what she said the room seemed to grow dark and I remembered no more. It was much later, two days I was told, that I began to be aware of myself. Reaching consciousness was like climbing out of a dark pit, and every muscle and bone in my body ached. I had a raging thirst and when I tried to speak I could only give a croak. Someone put water to my lips but I could only sip at it and before I could form words I sank back into sleep. The next time I awoke the pain had lessened to an ache. I could not remember where I was at first and I could not concentrate with the pain in my head.I was barely conscious. My whole body was stiff, my limbs especially and I just lay on what I found later was a pad until I could collect my thoughts.Two figures were lying beside me, a man and a woman. I was still dazed and I fell asleep again. Later, when I forced my mind to remember where I was and what had happened. things slowly came back. There was something about shivering, and a woman. I suddenly remembered the queen, and a trial and a sentence, something about being a woman and a magic incantation. An hour or so later, as I began to feel better and tried to rise, I was suddenly aware of a weight at my neck and a clinking noise. I felt at my neck, finding a metal collar round it, and the collar attached by a chain to a metal loop in the tough masonry wall. It was then I became aware of the different feel of my chest and I felt at it, suddenly wide awake, feeling two soft female breasts. I clutched at them and began crying out. I remembered now that the queen was going to use a spell to make me into a woman. I shook my head to try clear it and looked down at myself. My whole body felt different. No wonder! My penis and scrotum were gone. I reached down, feeling only a vertical grove with sensitive soft lips around a moist opening. I cried out again, recognizing that it was a woman's high- pitched scream. I looked at my hands. They were different, smaller. It was the same with my arms legs and thighs. They were slimmer and smoother. Below my breasts my body had a narrow waist, but flared again to broad female hips and prominent buttocks. Beside me, a woman was grunting and twisting on the floor. By her clothing I recognized that she had been Telor. As she gradually reached consciousness I saw her hands too explore her body. I shuddered, remembering the queen's sentence and her book, recognizing what had happened. I sank to my knees in misery, huddled on the floor in a ball, as much as the collar on my neck allowed. They had made us into women. We were in new bodies and worse, we were to be sold as slaves. We would be at the mercy of some masters, with our women's bodies, exciting lust in any man seeing them. Men could use us. We might be beautiful but we were weak and vulnerable. Then I noticed Kadir lying on the floor beside us, hardly changed at all. I shook my head, wondering why Telor and I were the only ones to have the change until I looked at Kadir closer. He was not moving or breathing. I could barely reach him with my outstretched finger, and when I felt him I shuddered and drew back. He was cold. Just to be sure I prodded him again, with no response.I cried out. He was dead! I looked at the wall. Selakos' head was still there but now shriveled. Telor and I were the only ones left alive. The woman beside me must have been Telor. She stirred at my cries and I watched her gasp and run through the same emotions that I had. I heard a noise at the cell door and I looked up, squinting into the light of a torch. It was the queen again with two guards and the same two slaves. "Ah, at last you are awake! Good!" "Please," I cried. "Change us back!" "No, that will never happen!" She was implacable. "My companion, Kadir, what has happened?" The queen barely gave the corpse a glance. She shrugged. "Unfortunate for him! Some men die from the spell. A pity for us too! If he had gone through the spell as you two did it would have meant a little more money for us when we sold him.You two have survived so we will take a little profit from you. Now that you are recovering, you are to be ready for a day from now. A trading ship in the harbor is loading as I speak. You will be sold to its captain and be taken along the coast to the east. I suppose you will end up in the hands of a slave dealer, but that is no longer any concern of ours." She looked at us with distaste. "But first, you smell! You need to be washed. Clean slaves will sell for more." She beckoned to her two slaves. "Take these specimens and wash them and tidy them up. Give them simple white women's tunics. Feed them if they want to eat. You first!" She pointed to me. Still aching and weak from the incantation's effects, I was pulled from the cell by the two slaves, forced into a stone trough of cold water and washed completely. My hair was freed of its knots and tangles, and they even pulled out the traces of male hair lingering on my chest and my groin. It came off easily with barely a sting. My beard gave more resistance but it too pulled off. When they had finished I was left with only the hair that a woman would show. I looked up at the two slaves. Both were beautiful. One was black haired and the other was blondish. "What did you two do, to be transformed and enslaved?" The blonde one grimaced and sucked through clenched teeth. "We were hunters from further east along the coast. We were pursuing a wild ox that we had wounded. It made its way into the marches along the eastern border of Genoria. We had chased it a long time and we were careless about watching where we were going. In the marshes it escaped from us and then we became totally lost and finally we got mired in a swamp. A troop of the Genorian border guards spotted us and rescued us but, as we were in Genorian territory they chained us and brought us here. They asked us a lot of questions. I think they suspected that we were spies. Finally we were brought before the queen and as a penalty for intrusion we were offered the choice of death or being made into women." "Yes," said the dark haired one. "Hardly any choice is it? Like you, we chose to live. The same thing has happened with many men that stray into Genoria, accidentally or not. The only men allowed here are carefully vetted and are watched carefully." I thought of how Selakos, Telor, Kadir and I had been careless. "What now?" I asked. The dark haired one made a slight face. "We were sentenced to serve the queen as slaves for a year at least. If she finds us satisfactory, we will be freed and can live here." "If you are not 'satisfactory'?" I asked. "Then, like you are to be, we will be sold away from here. So we have tried very hard to please the queen. Our slavery here is not pleasant, but we will be freed eventually. In other places, the slavery would be harsher and likely until we died. "Actually, we have less than two months to go. I am looking forward to my freedom," said the blonde girl. "Then what? Will you leave?" The dark haired girl gave a shy, slightly rueful smile. "No I have come to accept and even like my female body and I will stay here." "I will too," said the other. I looked down at my new body, seeing breasts pushing out the top of my gown. The sight brought home my vulnerability. "This is a dreadful punishment." I muttered. The blonde one looked at me sympathetically. "It can be, for you. It seemed like that for us at first. Then, as the months have gone by, it does not seem so bad. We have begun to appreciate and like our new bodies. Yes, we are women now, but in a country where women rule." She shook her head. "For you, it will be different. You will be sold away from here. In any of the other countries that are ruled by men, you will always be vulnerable. That will be first in your mind as you make your way through the rest of your new life. " She raised her eyebrows. "Maybe you will learn to use your new body to make your situation better. Just like us, you are pretty. Men like pretty women." I shuddered. "Men will use you, and me." "Yes, probably. When we were first changed I was distraught at that thought. I thought of killing myself. Now that does not seem so bad. In fact I look forward to meeting men. If I do not have a man of my own I can visit the temple of Ishtar. Every month women who want to conceive can visit and lie with men from neighboring tribes. In fact, all women are encouraged to do this." She grinned. "I have heard that some do it simply for the monthly pleasure of sampling a variety of men." The next day I sat crosslegged in the cell. Kadir's body and Selakos' head had been removed and the stinking straw replaced by fresh stuff. I was wearing only a simple woman's short gown, in a rough fabric. I had been washed well, scrubbed even, by the two slaves, so that my skin felt raw and the rough weave of the gown's fabric was harsh on my body, grazing my nipples annoyingly when my breasts moved beneath it. Telor too had been washed and dressed like me. I heard footsteps on the stone stairs and four female guards entered the cell. They unlocked our chains and threw sandals to us. "Put these on!" I bent down, to the sandals, wondering about jumping up and pushing the guards over to make a break for it, but they stood away from us, their swords unsheathed and ready and I had no choice but to do as they said. They tied our arms behind us and fixed short chains between our ankles that only allowed us to take short steps. Despite their tough look I could have easily overcome them had I been in my man's body. Now, with this woman's body, I was helpless against them. Not gently, one on each arm, two pulled me up the stairs and into the sunlight. The other two took Telor. An official, another woman, dressed in a long gray robe, was there and read something to us. I supposed it was a confirmation of our sentence but it was done rapidly and in my misery I remember little. When she was finished, she held up a placard to me. "Read this!" she ordered. I was devastated. It said, in a few words, easily visible in large red letters, that I had been found guilty of a crime and as a punishment had been changed from a man to a woman and reduced to slavery. To my horror she hung it about my neck so that it would be easily read by all and sundry. "Please don't do this," I pleaded but she just shook her head. "Being humiliated is part of the punishment." She did the same with Telor. She gestured to the guards and they pulled us, shuffling in our chains, along the main street, the one that led to the harbor. A number of Genorian citizens were strolling in the street or buying stuff at the market stalls. They stopped haggling with vendors in the marketplace and turned to look at us. The great majority were women. Some looked at us with amusement and occasionally tittered. "Enjoy your new lives!" one cried out and laughed at us. Some others spat at us. There were a few men. Some pointed and laughed at us contemptuously but others looked almost pitying. Our punishments would now be well known in this small state. The sight of the merchant ship at the docks in the harbor brought home my predicament to me and I tried to hold back, but the guards cuffed and kicked me and forced me forward at spear point. "We have been told to be firm with you," one said, removing the placard. "But this is a small mercy so that the sailors will not know your past lives, anything of you other than you are women and have been found guilty of a crime." A sailor was checking a list at the gangplank and looked me up and down approvingly as they led us to it. " Ah, so these are the slaves. They'll sell easily," he exclaimed. "Won't you, pretty ones." I blushed in humiliation as coins changed hands. Telor the same. Their task done, the two guards unfastened our chains. "Enjoy your slavery," one said sarcastically. They left and we were immediately pulled below the deck and into the hold by two sailors. I squirmed and struggled as I felt their hands squeezing my breasts and probing between my legs and Telor too cried out too in protest. They put us in a space by the stern, barely enough to stretch our arms fully, and chained our ankles to a beam. We were left there in the semi-darkness. I tried my chain but there was no way to slip it. In less than an hour I heard cries then felt a slight jolt followed by a gentle roll. A minute or two later the ship rolled even more. "What's going on?" Telor muttered. "I think the ship has left the harbor. We are feeling the effect of the waves. We are leaving Genoria and on our way to a slave market or dealer." Tears ran down Telor's face. Some hours later a sailor brought us some food and water but nothing to eat the food with and we had to use our hands. Later another crew member came to look at us. "I am in charge of cargo. Both of you, stand up!" he commanded. "Open your mouths!" He looked at our teeth, then our ears and felt at our breasts, kneading them and leering at us began pinching our nipples. Telor squirmed away but he was given two hard slaps. "Stand still! "the sailor ordered. I reddened with humiliation as my nipples were pinched. "Good!" he said. "Nice and firm. Lie on your back and open your legs!" he commanded. When I hesitated he gave me a slap and I complied. He probed between my legs and I squirmed when he rubbed his finger on the cleft and even allowed it to partially penetrate me. Otherwise, we were left alone except for another meal in what I assumed was the evening. For some hours after we was taken on board I could hear waves slap against the side, but later the ship only gave slight rolls and as I heard much less noise from the crew. I assumed that the ship had been put in a sheltered bay for the night. I did not sleep much. I was in a new body and bound for slavery. Any kind of slavery was not pleasant and some were much worse than others. I wondered about my future. Perhaps I would become some kind of serving girl. That could mean hard physical work that would wear me out. If I was lucky I might be some kind of serving maid. I might be purchased for some rich man to become part of his harem in some place where men took many wives. I was now female, and the spell that had been used on me was supposed to make me beautiful. I could be the object of the lust of any man who bought me. I felt sick at the thought of a man forcing himself on me and entering me. The worst would be that I was purchased for a brothel. Then I would be offered to all and sundry, young or old, handsome or ugly, clean or smelly, anyone who could afford the price. We were awakened by shouts from the sailors and the ship began to roll again. Soon we were brought some more food, a type of grain mush and water in a pottery cup of water. "Where are we going?" Telor asked, but the sailor did not answer. "I've been watching the shadow of the mast on the deck," I said. "The way it's moving I think we must be travelling east." Later that day the ship began turning, and its rolling motion stopped. "What's going on now?" Telor asked. At that point there was a heavy bump and I heard shouting. Then there were other voices, fainter, some of them women's. "You hear the voices? I said. I think we've entered sheltered water. Probably we're in a port." This was confirmed when two sailors unlocked the chains holding us, and pulled us out. I blinked in the strong sunlight as I was pulled up to the deck, and forced down the gangplank to the land. Telor was behind me. I recognized the harbor. I was in Perad, a kingdom to the east of Genoria A bearded man in dark blue robes, with another in simpler dirty white robes were waiting for us. I saw their eyes light up. "H'mm, Pretty ones!" the first one said and gestured for us to remove our simple robes. My spirit broken, I slipped mine off my shoulder and let it fall. His eyes ran up and down both of us and he gave us yet another examination as he looked at our teeth, ears, felt at our breasts and probed between our legs. He gave a grunt of approval. "Virgins too. Good!" He began to haggle with the ship's captain then I saw the captain nod and money changed hands. We had been sold to him. "Put your clothing on again," our new owner ordered. We did so and the two men tied our hands behind our backs, put a rope round our necks and led us away from the harbor through a market square filled with stalls. Again we had to endure suggestive cries and gestures from the vendors and customers. In a street off the square I saw we were heading to a large house. We were pulled into its cellar, thrust into a cell and the door clanged shut behind us. There were two other girls already in the cell. Both were in simple brown tunics and each was chained by the ankle to a ring in the floor. They looked at me dully. Eventually one spoke to me. I gathered she was asking my name. I could understand her as she spoke in a Greek dialect. I had to think fast. I had not been given a female name but I could not let her know I had been a man. "Niobe," I muttered. It had been my mother's name." The woman who had been Telor simply shook her head and refused to answer. "You'd be better to take a female name," I whispered later. "You certainly can't use your male name." She squeezed her eyes to stop tears. "Yes, I suppose so. I'll use Balatha." We were there only two days, before we were ordered out and pushed into an uncovered ox drawn cart with two men beside it. They chained us by the ankles to a bar in the floor and started off immediately. In a few minutes we were in the country going along a dusty road. Around midday the driver took pity on us and set up a shade over the cart to protect us from the hot sun. I guzzled down the water he offered us but there was no food. The road passed through an area with small fields and I saw peasants at work, but they paid us little attention. Then, as the sun began to go over the western horizon the men stopped in some woods and ordered us out of the cart. They made camp, set a fire and began to cook some food. I was hungry, but all I was given was some cooked grain and pieces of fruit. I desperately needed to relieve myself but I was not allowed any privacy. Blushing furiously, I had to squat behind a bush. The sun had now set completely and it had begun to get chilly. We were not given any shelter other than a coarse blanket and we had to huddle together for warmth. I was almost glad when the following day we eventually came to a walled city. At some thick wooden gates the cart was stopped by guard and another guard came to look us over. He grinned at us. "So, more slaves. This is a pretty bunch. This one especially!" He looked me over lasciviously and squeezed my breasts. "Not for you! Hands off! You couldn't afford her on a soldier's wages!" the driver laughed. The soldier jovially slapped my rear, grinned at my small yelp and waved us on. The cart pushed through the city gates, along a street filled with citizens and eventually came to a building where we were ordered to get out. I was cramped and stiff from sitting and it was some minutes before I could stand upright. Our driver ordered us to strip, but I was now past any feeling of outrage or embarrassment at my nakedness. In a minute we were herded inside and pushed in a cell to join even more girls. They were all naked too. From another cell I heard men's voices. Male slaves, I supposed. Some had seen us and made hooting noises and coarse suggestive comments to us. I just sat in a corner, miserable, in despair. I now had a woman's body and I knew what these men would do to me if they had the opportunity. We were kept in that stinking room for two days then I heard the cell next door being opened and the men being driven out. I heard their feet shuffle and the clink of chains. Sometimes too I heard sharp commands and the cracks of whips and cries of pain. The owners were taking no risk that the slaves might escape. For the next several hours I heard voices outside, like bidding. There were occasional shouts and cries of approval, sometimes applause above the general hubbub of the crowd. "What's going on?" Balatha asked. "Isn't it obvious? The male slaves are being sold. It'll soon be our turn." The next day we were ordered out of the cell, blinking at the the sunlight, set in front of a trough of water and ordered to wash. Each of us was thrown a light white gown and ordered to dress, then chained by our right wrists in a coffle and herded through a gate. My heart gave a lurch when I saw we were in the sales courtyard. There was a wooden platform, set with several posts. In front of it were it were wooden benches, and sitting on these watching our entry, were a variety of men, even a few women. There were about a dozen of us to be sold. I was eighteen. The others looked much younger. We were made to stand in the courtyard, our ankles linked together by a long chain. In the next hour the audience sauntered up and down looking us over and even taking notes. Once again I had to endure the humiliation of being prodded and felt by the men. I was not alone. The same was done to the other girls. Often the men squeezed my breasts and even a few of the women did the same. I did not dare resist them as I saw that one of the slaver's assistants carried a broad bladed whip in his belt. He looked ready to use it. Balatha and I seemed to have the most of the buyers inspecting us. Queen Medere had told us would become beautiful women and this would be what attracted them most. I felt sick when I thought of what that meant. I would be eagerly bid for. Then, what would be ahead for me? I had this body and face that attracted men. They would choose me for my looks but I wondered what I would be used for. I shuddered at the thought that I would I be set to work in a brothel. I had been a slave and a female only a little over a week, not nearly enough time to prepare for the idea. It would have been bad enough if I had been born female. The thought of a man entering me filled me with disgust and horror. I could not endure that. At least if I got a good price my upcoming owner would be better off than most. But would he or she be kind or demanding? Another man came to inspect me. "You have nice firm breasts," he complimented. "Open your mouth," he commanded. I did so and he looked inside, obviously checking my teeth. Along with that he squeezed my breasts as if to confirm his original thoughts, and before I could react, he felt between my legs for good measure. He frowned. "You are dry! Ah well, perhaps you are frightened, but you will soon get used to that." There was a call that the sale was ready to begin and the buyers made their ways back to the seats. At a signal from the auctioneer the first of the slaves, a dark haired girl was prodded onto the dais. "Stand here, slave." She stood there obediently, just trembling slightly. The auctioneer had her turn around slowly, while he read her age, and announced that she was part of a batch of slaves taken from one of the Greek islands. I did not think she was particularly pretty and the bidding went slowly, only three bidding for her until the auctioneer raised his hand then let it fall. The next girl was prettier, but stood hunched over. She was ordered to stand straight but she broke down crying. I had spoken to her earlier and she had told me she was only fourteen. She had been free but her family had sold her to pay off some debts. The man with the whip was immediately on her and she was lashed until she was screaming in pain then she was dragged to the post to the post, her hands tied and fastened to a peg higher up and her simple white gown torn from her. She was so stretched up so that her breasts were raised. She could no longer hide herself and was totally exposed. He body was shapely and she began to attract many bids until she was sold, then released from the post and pulled off the dais. She sank to her knees crying, but was roughly pulled up and dragged off the dais. It only took a few minutes before the next girl sold. She too had been hunched over in shame, but when the whip was shaken before her she straightened up. No doubt she had learned from the previous girl's experience. Some of the other girls gave no problem. They stood tall, pushing out their chests and swaying their hips, and even posed suggestively at the buyers. One even lifted her breasts with her hands and parted her legs slightly. My stomach flipped when the girl before me was sold and it was Balatha's turn. She was pushed onto the coarse planks of the dais. Like me, her previous life was gone. We were only female slaves. We had been adventurers, taking risks, living by our strength and our wits. Now our lives were completely turned over. The bidders competed vigorously with each other and heard orders for her to turn or raise her arms over her head and eventually a small man in brown robes was the winner. The auctioneer looked happy with the transaction, no doubt with the money he would earn. Balatha gave me a last panicked look as she was led away. When it was my turn I decided to simply stand straight, but my knees were knocking together as I heard the auctioneer announce that I was also from Genoria, from along the Dark Sea coast but that nothing else was known about me other than that I was in good condition and a virgin. I simply stared into the distance trying to ignore what was happening around me but through my misery I became aware of small murmurs of approval as the bidders began to compete vigorously. I simply moved as I was ordered. "Look at the bidders! Smile!" I heard ordered but in my misery I was to slow to do so until a sharp command from the auctioneer and the sting of the whip on my legs reminded me of my situation. I saw the men in the audience looking at me, a kind of hunger in their eyes, some openly leering. The bids began. It was soon obvious that six men were bidding for me, until one by one they dropped out. Finally it became a duel between a small man who had first examined me and a large man with a swarthy face. I heard low cries from the spectators as the bidding increased. I did not like the look of either, but I saw that behind the swarthy- faced man there was a white bearded man offering comments, or nodding approval. The bidding finally ended when the small man abruptly sat down. The auctioneer called for more bids, but there were none. His hand fell. I had been sold to the swarthy-faced man! Some spectators began clapping. As before, the auctioneer smiled at the commission he had earned. I was pulled off the dais and handed to the man. He tied a rope around my neck and my hands behind my back. In turn, I was pulled off to the side of the auction area and the white bearded man came up and paid out some gold to a clerk. The white bearded man looked at me. I gathered the swarthy man had simply been a helpert. "So slave girl, what do they call you?" I decided I would use the same name as earlier. "I am called Niobe, master." "Niobe? An attractive name! Maybe my mistress will let you keep it." "Your mistress, master?" I did not understand. "Who is that?" "Curious, are you? You see. I am buying you for the Lady Pargia. She is a rich woman in this city. Her husband is a powerful warrior and is one of the king's commanders. Lady Pargia wants a young slave, a comely and amenable girl to be her personal servant." He looked me up and down. "I think you will do. You will learn to be a slave well, won't you?" His look suddenly became threatening. I trembled but, "yes, master," I replied. His eyes softened. "Yes, if you are slow or disobedient, there will be the stick or whip to encourage you. I have disciplined quite few slaves. I hope you will not be one of them? You are a yirgin?" I flushed. "Yes, master." Without removing the chain from my ankles he took my arm and led me, shuffling at times, through the streets. Eventually I saw we were heading to a fine looking house. He nodded to two guards at the gate who quickly stood aside as he led me inside an ornamental doorway, into a courtyard and then through another door into a room. "Stand there," the man commanded and removed my chains. I looked round. The room's walls were smoothly plastered and draped with expensive cloth where they were not decorated with paintings. The floor was made of polished marble slabs set with many mosaics. There were several chairs and long couches, all made of expensive wood and draped with rich fabrics. There were two matching tables with ornately carved legs. There were even marble sculptures set in niches in the walls or on plinths. It was a house of rich owners. I looked enquiringly at the man who had bought me. "Hold still!" he ordered. "Your new mistress will be here soon. When she enters make sure you bow before her." I had a slight feeling of relief. Perhaps I was to be a maid in a female household. In a few minutes two women entered the room. The most imposing was a tallish woman dressed in a dark blue gown. Its collar, down its front, and the elongated cuffs of the sleeves were ornamented with gold braid. On her feet were red sandals made of fine leather and her fingernails and toenails were painted gold. Her ears had been pierced and delicate filigree earrings with many sparkling stones were set in her lobes. She was extensively made up, with eye shadow and reddish coloring on her lips. She wore her lustrous black hair coiled above her head, and set with many golden ornaments, a style I had seen many richer Genorian women wearing. She exuded confidence, power and haughtiness. The other woman was much older, and very plainly dressed in a simple long, off-white tunic. On her feet were plain worn-looking leather sandals. Her gray hair simply hung to her shoulders. As I had been ordered, I sank to my knees and knelt before the more richly dressed of the women with my head down. I reasoned she was probably going to be my mistress and I thought it best to keep her mollified. "What is the slave's name?" the woman asked. "She tells me her name is Niobe," the bearded man spoke. "You are her first owner." She stood right in front of me. "Is that true?" "Yes, Mistress " I answered. So I had guessed properly that I had been bought for this woman. Her voice told me that she was used to her power and influence. "You have an accent! Where are you from? " "I am from Genoria, mistress, but I was born and lived many years in Ceradol." "Genoria is along the coast, to the west, I believe. Interesting! I hear that the women in Genoria run the society. Yet you are a slave. Why is this?" I wondered how much she could find out by herself, but I could not tell her the real reason, and certainly not that I had been a man, nor the punishment Medere had given me. "I was a free woman, mistress, but I was involved in a dispute with a group of other women. They lied and were believed, rather than me. I was therefore judged guilty, Mistress. As a punishment I was reduced to slavery and sold to the captain of a vessel trading along the coast. He sold me to someone in another port, then I was transported across land and your agent bought me at a slave market here in Perad." "Oh, a crime?' So you are a criminal! That is not good," and she glared at the bearded man. He went red. "Please, mistress, I did not know this", he spluttered. "Mistress, as I told you, I was innocent!" I protested. I decided it would not do to vigorously complain about my slavery. Instead, I spoke quietly as if my innocence was beyond question. She did not seem overly concerned. "Stand up," she ordered, and she walked slowly round me, appraising me. "Yes, she seems fairly pretty. Docile too, " she commented to the bearded man. "She will do!" He bowed and left. She looked at me. "However, Niobe, whether you are really innocent or not, your behavior here with me will be impeccable. No dishonesty will be tolerated. You will obey me without question. You understand?" "Absolutely, mistress." "Then I will allow you to be my personal maid. My name is Pargia. My husband is called Myristes. He is a general for King Polyphanes. Unfortunately, he is on a campaign just now, fighting Perad's enemies in the west. When he returns you will obey him too. And, as you are my newest slave, you will obey the servants and all of my other slaves too until I tell you otherwise. "Now, your duties, you are to become my personal servant and you will attend to all my personal needs. You will help me dress, with my cosmetics, and my jewelry. You will be my bath attendant. You will care for my clothes and you will bring me my meals. There are other duties too that will be given you later." I was utterly taken aback and I must have let it show. "What? You do not want this? Then perhaps I will send you back to the slave dealer. I am offering you a comfortable life. I would have thought that you would be happy with it." "I shook my head. " It is not that, mistress. It is just that I am overwhelmed. And, I know little about these duties." "You look intelligent enough. I am sure that you can learn," she said haughtily. She gestured to the older woman by her side. "This is my old faithful servant Asha. She has become less and less able to serve me as she is losing her sight. In fact it was she who suggested I get a young slave. She will instruct you in your duties for a few days. Then I will expect you to do them perfectly by yourself." I nodded my head. "Yes Mistress." Inside, I had mixed feelings. I had been an adventurer, ambitious and ready to make my way in the world by my strength, skill and cunning. Now I was a female slave, and would be set to running errands and serrving this haughty woman. On the other hand, my fate could have been worse. I might have become only a domestic drudge. Even worse, I could have been bought by a brothel, or as a concubine. "You gave a small shudder?" asked Pargia. "Mistress, " I said hastily, "it was only the thought of being punished. I will be a good servant." "You mean you will be a good slave." She emphasized the 'slave'. "Do not forget that I own you. I can do with you what I want." She looked down on me. "As I said, it will be your duties to be my attendant, but first," she looked at me half contemptuously, "you need some attention. If you are my slave I expect a neat appearance to better reflect on me." "So?" She looked at Asha. "Take this dirty slave and show her how to wash and tidy herself up." Asha beckoned me and I followed her to another room with a glazed tile floor. "Remove your gown," Asha said, "and stand in this basin." By this time I had been so often naked that it no longer bothered me. She fetched some clay -like material and gave me a large jug of water and a cloth. "Wash yourself completely. Use this clay. Rub it over your body. It will help to strip off dirt and perspiration from your body. Wash your hair too! Yes, that slave market is a dirty place." Carefully, I washed myself. It was days since I had been able to do it, before I was captured and brought before Medere. I had not yet become accustomed my female body and I still flinched when my hands rubbed over my breasts and nipples. "Between your legs too! " she commanded. "You are to be clean there! Didn't women wash properly wherever it was you came from?" I obeyed her but I gritted my teeth at the unfamiliar intimate feeling, reminding me of the punishment that had been inflicted on me. When I was done, she handed me a cloth to dry myself with. She peered at me critically. "Your hair is much too short, but otherwise you are actually quite pretty. You have a smooth skin and your body is not scarred." She took hold of my damp hair. "Yes, much too short, and straggly and untidy too. I will tidy it up for you. Now, hold still!" She combed and trimmed my hair. "Here, use this little comb. It's bone. Run that through your hair every day and remove tangles. You can put in your hair if you want to decorate yourself." She studied my face and sighed. "I'm supposed to decorate your face just a little. I'm too old to bother about it, but Lady Pargia wants you to look neat, and reasonably clean. But maybe you should not be too pretty though." She gave a faint smile. "Just to advise you, do not ever appear to compete with her. She is jealous of her beauty and position. " All right, sit down and I will check your face. A pity I can't see you better with these old eyes." She ran her fingers over my face. "Nice skin!" she observed, and she began to apply things to my face. "Here's a little dark powder for your eyes and I'll put trace of this red stuff on your lips. "That will be enough," she said. "Just to make you look better, but, I'll tell you again, you must never compete with your mistress. Be careful too. Her husband Myristes has an eye for pretty women. " "I think your hair is dry enough now," and she gave it another touch with the comb. She looked at my ears. "You are also to wear earrings. Now hold still!" I started to jump up when I saw she had a pair of small bronze rings. I have always hated the thought of something piercing my flesh but I did not dare object, for fear of being sent away. I cried out at the sharp pain at one earlobe. My eyes began to tear as the pain was repeated at the other ear and then yet again as she pushed the earrings though the tiny holes and fastened them. "Stop crying! You'd think I'd hurt you!" she said. She held up a piece of polished metal. "How do you like yourself now?" I removed a tear from the corner of my eye and looked into the mirror. I gave a small start. I would not have believed that I could have been so changed. The woman looking at me bore no resemblance at all to the man that I had been just a few weeks back. Even distorted as I appeared in the polished metal mirror, I was looking at a beautiful woman with a pretty oval face, dark brown eyes, high cheeks and full lips, emphasized by the red coloring. The bronze loops in her earlobes actually complimented her nicely, although spots of fresh blood showed. Her face was framed by slightly curly dark hair, pretty enough, but too short for a woman. Her neck was long and slim, over pretty shoulders. Her body was well curved, with full breasts, a narrow waist and wide hips. Her limbs were slim and smooth. Inadvertently I turned my head to better see myself. I felt my new earrings brush my neck. It was a strange feeling, but oddly stimulating. My neck was smooth, with no signs of an Adam's apple. I turned around more, wondering at the narrow waist flaring into generously curved hips and buttocks but tapering again into smooth slim thighs and long legs. I looked down at my hands. They were small, but with long tapering fingers. Asha had earlier smoothed my broken nails. I looked at my feet. My calves and ankles were slim and neat. My feet were small but high arched. We were interrupted by the Lady Pargia. She looked me critically up and down yet again. "I must say that is a definite improvement. Now you look respectable enough to be a slave of mine. Yes, much better." She contemptuously kicked my old garment aside. " Now, some clothes for you. They are a pattern and color that will show to all that you belong to me. I will give you two gowns. You will care for these and keep them clean. You know how to wash clothing, do you?" I had rarely been concerned with that in the past, but I remembered how my mother and sisters had washed clothing and I supposed I could do the same. "Yes, mistress," I replied. Asha opened a chest and, lifting things out, she handed me a tunic - like garment . I recognized it as an undergarment and pulled it over my head. Next she pulled out two gowns, both in a grayish green although one looked newer than the other. They were both cheap garments, in but in tough cloth, suitable for a slave. She handed me the newer one and I pulled it over my head. It came to half way down my claves. I tied it about my waist with a white cord. I wondered about my feet but nothing was offered. Perhaps Pargia read my mind. "You will be barefoot, of course, being a slave. In the winter you will be given sandals when I send you for errands out of the house." I stood completely still, mostly trying to accept my predicament. She lifted my chin. "You are actually fairly pretty, Niobe, but you will let your hair grow. It is too short for a woman, even a slave." She gave a slightly contemptuous smirk. "You will serve me well, won't you? Because... if you do not I will sell you back to a slave dealer." She looked down her nose at me. "Now that you have cleaned up so well I might even get more than I paid for you. Many men would want a slave like you. Any man would desire you. "However, Niobe, to remind you of your status," she said. She went out of the room and returned with a curved metal object. "Lift your head and stand still." I did so and I felt something cold placed round my neck. There was a click. "There, Niobe, a pretty slave collar for you." I looked at myself in the mirror. My neck was now circled by a narrow bronze collar. I tentatively felt at it, but it would not shift. It reminded me of Medere's two slaves. They also had worn narrow collars. She slapped my hand. "You will not remove it!" she commanded, as if reading my mind. "If you attempt to do so you will be punished. Turn your head so I can see it!" She examined the collar and my neck." Yes, I like that. You are now in my personal service, Niobe. I shall expect very high standards of your behavior and appearance. Like your clothing, the collar will identify you as one of my slaves." All of that next week I was instructed by the older woman and I struggled to remember all that she told me. My duties were to wait in the morning until Pargia was awake. When I heard her call I would take her in a small tumbler of wine or fruit juice or sliced fruit. After that I would have hot water ready prepared for her to wash and I would help her disrobe, stand by while she washed and have her clothes ready for that day. I would have made sure they were clean and brushed. I was not responsible for cooking. That was the responsibility of two slave women in the kitchen area, Mora and Zelane, but I had to serve her and remove the dirty dishes. Pargia did not work her slaves too hard, other than demanding that they be always available. My own duties, after her bathing, dressing and getting clothed, were to run her errands and serve at her meals, and to accompany her when she went to the market or other shops and carry back her purchases. The first days I was worked hard and she constantly criticized and guided the way I fashioned my dress and hair ornaments, the way I wore my hair, my accent, the way I walked and my mannerisms. After some days she was more satisfied. After that first instruction I was expected to groom myself. I found it difficult at first to get the right touch, but at least Asha guided me and gave me instruction. I was exhausted at the end of each day, but I was learning. As the days went by I learned all my duties and how to care for myself and soon I got more confidence . I no longer saw Asha after the first two weeks and I was left on my own. I had several scoldings when I omitted some things or failed to do them properly but soon my service to her appeared to be satisfactory. My body may have been that of a woman, but my mind was not. I could do all of the tasks easily enough, but I suffered agonies of frustration as each morning I saw Pargia completely unclothed when she washed. It was her habit to stand, completely naked, in the large basin, while I handed her water or soap or cloths. The sight of her curved olive- skinned figure, her pert breasts with darker areolas and nipples, and the shiny hair at the base of her belly often made me screw up my eyes in frustration. It was even worse when she slightly opened her thighs to wash between them. She must have noticed. "My nakedness disturbs you, Niobe?" She laughed. "Have you not seen another woman naked before?" I fumed inwardly. Had I still my man's body I would have soon removed the tantalizing self-satisfied smile from her face! "None as beautiful as you, mistress," I replied. That pleased her immensely. I dared not do anything. I was no longer a man. Moreover, she owned me. If I displeased her she could sell me. It was then I decided to escape my slavery. After that, it was as if, she had decided to deliberately tease me. She had noticed my discomfort and her exhibitionism became greater. Her tongue in her half opened mouth, looking at me, she would run the water slowly over her breasts, running her finger round her nipples until they stood erect. Then she would wash between her legs, opening wide and washing the little folds of dark flesh, even running a finger up and down the furrow in her dark springy hair.She was playing with herself, showing herself off, knowing I was uncomfortable, teasing me deliberately, yet I dared not do anything. I was almost squirming at the sight. "What's the matter, slave?" she said. "Am I embarrassing you? You are a woman. Surely you've seen this before? Did Genorian women hide their bodies from each other? One would almost think you were a man, you look so uncomfortable!" I would lick my lips and give an appropriate answer. "Please mistress, it is just that you are so beautiful. Any man must desire you. Your husband is a fortunate man." "Yes, I suppose he is!" She gave a self-satisfied smile. My own woman's bleeding started about a month into her service. I was shocked at first, although I knew women bled monthly. It was just another result of the spell that had been cast on me, showing me that I was a woman internally as externally. It was slightly uncomfortable for three days. My back hurt, I had little appetite and my breasts were tender. I had been another month in her service when, one morning, as I was handing her some water for her morning wash, the container slightly slipped and my hand brushed across her nipple. When she gave a slight gasp I drew back and hung my head. " Please forgive me, mistress," I blurted out, afraid of getting a whipping or, even worse, being sold away. But her eyes closed slightly and she gave a sly smile. "Come here, slave!" I wondered if she was going to slap my face, but she took my hand and placed it on her breast. "Take my nipple, Niobe, and pinch it." She was taking her teasing to a higher level. I did as she said, almost shaking with tension. I felt her nipple harden and she closed her eyes. I knew what she wanted. After all. I had lain with a number of women before my change and taken my enjoyment of them but now I was a female and, as a slave, I had been commanded to please my owner. She closed her eyes and sucked in her breath, a slight smile on her lips. "The other one too, slave. Now roll my nipples!" I gently did as she said, unsure as to how strongly to do it. I was tempted to twist hard and bring her to her knees in pain. I wondered how long it would continue, but at last she pulled my hands away. "Enough, slave! Now go about your duties!" I hurried away from her, almost weeping with frustration for loss of my male body and worry for the future. If she persisted in making me attend to her like that, it might be discovered. That began to be a regular pattern when I washed her. Sometimes she would take the initiative and and pull me to her, presenting her lips for me to kiss her. Her nipples were hard under my hand. She smiled at me slyly. "Please me, slave," she commanded. Before my change, or even the first days I entered her service, I would have been attracted by her sensual body but now I was petrified at the risk this posed for a female slave such as me. If her husband found what was going on he could be terribly angry. I had no doubt she would pass any blame to me. These first months in her service passed on, with continual frustration as she took advantage of me. For my part, I was left with the frustration that while I was