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  “You are making a mistake to allow her to utilize her own slaves.”

  “Let’s be blunt, Your Honor. I am going to lose. This is to give me experience. That is all.”

  “You are and will probably remain particularly vulnerable to Lady Olivia’s influence. You will become more so each time you give in to her. You should push back.”

  “I don’t want to push back. I like Bee and Dee, and I think this is going to be fun.”

  “They will be ordered to obey the orders they wish to follow, but you know that probably means they’ll obey Lady Olivia.”

  “She doesn’t need them to win,” I said.

  “That is a defeatist attitude.”

  “Why are you so upset about this?”

  “I am not upset. Why are you so complacent?”

  “I thought you wanted us complacent. And now you’re not happy.”

  “I am trying to protect you. My responsibility is to protect the law, but my secondary responsibility is to protect the underdog. That is you.”

  “Are you telling me Lady Olivia isn’t to be trusted?”

  “No, but you’re not looking out for yourself. You’re asking her – and me – to do it for you.”

  “That isn’t true,” I said. “Unless people have been lying to all of us. You don’t understand. I am looking forward to this. I know I am going to lose. Without a significant handicap, I can’t beat Olivia. A very, very significant handicap. I am looking forward to losing. I am looking forward to belonging to her until morning. I am looking forward to seeing how she uses Bee and Dee. The one thing I don’t know is whether I’ll even be able to struggle, or if she’ll order me to submit, and I’ll immediately do whatever she says. All right. I’m also interested in seeing if Bee and Dee help me at all, but I find it unlikely. And I am curious to see the aftereffects tomorrow.”

  She looked into my eyes. “All right. But I do not like some of the details of this event, and so I am changing them. I believe you will enjoy my version better. If you step outside, someone will escort you where you will go next.”

  “Wait,” I said. “Don’t Olivia and I have to agree to your changes?”

  “If she didn’t want to risk my changes, she shouldn't have asked me to host it,” she said. “I will see you soon, Ms. Rosebush.”

  I rose from my seat. I made it to the door before I turned around. I smiled. “Your Honor, do you ever engage in Practice Challenges.”

  She laughed. “You’re sweet.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “Did you just challenge me, Ms. Rosebush?”

  “No. I asked a question.”

  “It has been two decades since my last Practice Challenge,” she replied. “When I do it, it’s for real. In the last six years, my rivals have sent four of their beautiful daughters and granddaughters to me, hoping in their youth and vigor, they could beat me. Two of those already had full households. I beat all of them and acquired not only the challengers, but their slaves as well. I have a very full household, Ms. Rosebush.”

  I nodded. “These customs are quite unexpected. What are you doing here if you have such a full household at home?”

  “I am home here, and I have bought three businesses. I am going to be a very rich woman, Ms. Rosebush.”

  I nodded and slipped from the door.

  * * * *

  The leather-clad guard led me to a small changing room. I thought perhaps it had once been something else, but no matter. Waiting for me was a loose-fitting cotton shift. It was designed to be pulled over my head, but I realized that the shoulders and sides could be unlaced, so there were different ways to pull it from me. I changed and then slipped my regular clothes into the waiting bag, as the guard had indicated. I carried that outside with me, and she smiled. “Leave that here.” She indicated a hook. “If you win, your clothing will be waiting.”

  “I’m not going to win.”

  “Then they’ll go with you.”

  I nodded and hung the bag up. Then she took my arm and led me from the room.

  “Are you frightened?” she asked.

  “No. Should I be?”

  “No. I love Practice Challenges. I’d love to have one with you.”

  I laughed. “You don’t even know me.”

  “I’ve seen you about,” she said.

  “Lady Olivia is taking an interest in me,” I said. “She’s the one to convince.”

  “That’s not the usual arrangement.”

  “You can stop by the Baby Blanket Inn,” I said. “I imagine you’ll remember the name.” She laughed. “But I won’t accept challenges against her advice, so you still will need to talk to her.”

  “It’s like that?”

  “She’s mentoring me, and only an idiot turns away when the duchess offers to do so.”

  The guard laughed again. “I suppose that’s true.” She led me to a door. There were two guards waiting on our side. One slipped through the doors, closing them again.

  And then we waited.

  “What’s your name?”

  “I am Corporal Nelt.”

  “Well, Corporal Nelt,” I said, offering my hand. “I am Claary Rosebush.” I looked at the other woman, who was watching me. “And you are?”

  “Private Krillt.”

  I offered my hand. “I am pleased to meet you, Private Krillt.”

  “My pleasure, Ms. Rosebush.”

  “You know, I’d rather you both called me Claary,” I said. “That changes if you are talking to me professionally, but we’re just saying Hi, even if you’re on duty.”

  “Are you really about to have a challenge with the Duchess?” she asked.

  “Unless she swaps someone in at the last minute,” I said. “Will you come inside and watch?”

  “Do you mind?”

  “No.”

  “You’re going to lose.”

  I laughed. “I know. Do you know if anyone else has had a challenge, or am I first?”

  The two exchanged glances. “I think you’re the first of the women originally from Charth,” said Corporal Nelt. “But now that things seem to be quiet, the challenges and cross challenges are starting up.”

  “So between the soldiers.”

  “Yes, or civilians from Ressaline. Well, from outside Charthan. This is all part of Ressaline now.”

  “Got it,” I said.

  There was a knock, and then the door opened. The guard returned. She looked me up and down. “Are you ready, Ms. Rosebush?”

  “As ready as I’m going to be.”

  “Good luck.”

  “I’d rather you wish me good fun,” I said.

  “Well then. Good fun.” She smiled. “I’m glad you recognize that.”

  “I am, too.” They opened the doors, and I stepped through.

  Sisters

  It was a gymnasium. I didn’t even know there was a gymnasium inside Government House. I suppose it was for the use of government officials, an opportunity to exercise.

  I entered on one end, and across the gym at the far end, I saw Olivia standing in the doorway. To the right were a set of bleachers, and while they weren’t full, they were well-occupied, most wearing leather, although I saw a few obvious slaves, some temporary, some permanent. And I also saw some of the women who had been there for the convict challenge a few weeks ago.

  At the exact center of the gymnasium, facing each other, were two cages. There was a stool in each, and I saw that the bottoms of the cages were lined. The judge had made significant changes.

  Bee and Dee were waiting at the middle along with the judge, dressed in shifts like I was. I paused a moment longer, then waved to the crowd. They began hooting, whistling, catcalling, and otherwise making a lot of noise.

  Olivia and I strode forward. I walked around the nearest cage, coming to a stop beside it and facing the judge. Olivia did the same, positioning herself opposite from me. And she was frowning.

  I blew her a kiss then offered a small bow to the judge. “Your Honor, may I
greet Bee and Dee?”

  “Only if I may listen to anything you tell them,” she said.

  So I stepped forward. I hugged Bee first and said, “I’m glad you’re here. This is going to be fun.”

  “You’re going to lose,” she said. “And then you go home with us.”

  “I know,” I said. “It will be fun.”

  I kissed her cheek and then turned to Dee. “Ready for some fun?”

  “I am always ready for some fun,” she said. “Are you ready to belong to us until morning?”

  “Yes,” I said. I kissed her cheek and stepped back to the edge.

  “This is not the event I outlined,” Olivia said.

  The judge held up her hand. The crowd took a minute but quieted. She explained she had used her judicial authority to change the nature of the event, retaining the spirit. Then she explained the challenge. When she was done, Olivia bowed to her. I did the same.

  “Lady Olivia, I wish you to reiterate the order to your slaves.”

  Olivia nodded. “Bee. Dee. You will follow the orders of Judge Jessla. You may also choose to follow any orders from me or Claary.”

  I raised my hand. The judge turned to me. “Yes, Ms. Rosebush?”

  “I wish them to also have permission to accept orders from each other.”

  She smiled. “I have no problem with that. Lady Olivia?”

  She nodded. “All right. Bee and Dee, you may also follow orders issued from the other, within the spirit of this event.”

  The girls grinned. “Yes, Lady Olivia.”

  The judge nodded. “Ms. Rosebush, you may prepare one of the cages.” And then she held out a small pouch to me. I stepped forward and took it and peeked inside. Yep. I smiled and headed for the furthest cage, the door hanging open.

  I looked down. There was clear liquid to a depth of several inches. I looked over my shoulder. “I’ll have to step inside.”

  “The resin will not hurt you.”

  “Am I mistaken? I am preparing Olivia’s cage.”

  “That is correct.”

  “I’ll spread it about when I’m done.”

  “You’ll see,” said the judge.

  I stepped inside. It took me a minute to figure out how to place the device in place so it would stay. Then I leaned down, making sure Olivia saw me, and I wet it with my mouth. The audience went insane with that, mostly in rather crude catcalls, but some in laughter, some in applause or whistles. I did it once more before backing out. Then I checked my feet. As best I could tell, they remained dry. I shrugged.

  Olivia grinned at me. She then stepped into the other cage. It took her far less time to prepare the stool.

  “Your Honor,” I said. “I think we need one more of those.”

  “Two is traditional.”

  “I have shown you how I want one used on me.”

  “It doesn’t work that way.”

  “Nevertheless.”

  She turned to Olivia, who shrugged. A moment later, a guard stepped forward and gave the device to the judge, who turned to me. “And this goes in your cage?”

  “If you please, yes,” I said. “I would like to know how this begins.”

  “Each challenger will be locked onto her stool,” said the judge. “Bee and Dee will be able to open the doors and free a challenger, if they wish to do so.”

  “Then that can go in my cage, anywhere I won’t be free to reach it myself.”

  She nodded, put it in the pouch she’d given me a minute ago, then handed it to Dee and told her to hang it at the back of my cage. Dee smiled and did what she was told.

  “Do you have final words for each other?” Judge Jessla asked.

  “This will be fun,” I said.

  “I agree,” said Olivia. She smiled.

  “You will cooperate with anything Bee or Dee wish to do to you until I call ‘begin’,” said the judge. “Slaves, choose a challenger and prepare her as we discussed.”

  Dee stepped back out of the cage. She took my arm, and I let her lead me back inside. Then I let her guide me into position, sliding over the device until I was fully seated on the stool.

  It felt so good, so amazingly good, and it was hard not to begin squirming immediately. My lips parted, and I began lightly panting.

  We hadn’t even begun, and I was already losing. But I looked at Olivia and smiled.

  She was as cool as a cucumber.

  Dee wasn’t done. The judge gave her a bag, and from it, Dee withdrew restraints. She locked my ankles into the resin and then my arms away from my sides and down, pointed towards the lower sides of the cage. She added a belt and secured it to the stool, tugging it tightly so I only had limited range of movement.

  I squirmed. Olivia sat calmly, taking the same treatment I was.

  My feet began to tingle. I looked down, and the resin was already beginning to climb up my legs, bright red and with a swirl of orange. I was pretty sure that wasn’t happening to Olivia. My heart began pounding.

  This wasn’t going to last long.

  I looked at Dee’s feet, and the same thing was happening to her.

  Dee finished preparing me, and she was at least as excited as I was. But she looked up and said, “We are ready.”

  “You must close the door,” said the judge. Dee stepped over and pulled the door closed with a clang. A moment later, Bee did the same with the opposite door. “When I call begin, the challengers may begin to issue their orders to either slave. The slaves have a key to unlock any lock, but only they may use it. If a challenger becomes free, she may do whatever she wishes to her opponent. Questions?”

  “No, Your Honor,” Olivia and I both said.

  “Ready. Begin.”

  “Dee!” Olivia ordered. “Climb onto Claary’s lap and begin to seduce her.”

  There was no way Dee wouldn’t do that, and I didn’t even try to counteract it. Instead I yelled, “Bee. You love watching your sister. Watch her seduce me. You’ll be able to come help in a minute.”

  Olivia laughed and let me get away with it. Bee watched Olivia for a moment then turned to look across at me.

  Dee did as she was ordered, climbing on top of me. She began stroking me and nuzzling at me. “You’re going to lose, Claary.”

  “I know,” I said. “But you don’t want this to end too quickly, Dee. Look at my feet, just for a moment.”

  “The resin is already climbing,” she said. “I saw.”

  “Olivia can beat me without your help,” I said. “And then I’ll go home with you, and she’ll let us all play.”

  “I know.” She kissed my ear, and then one hand began to play with my breast. She also began moving her pelvis, which changed the pressure, and I moaned.

  “Dee, I won’t last long,” I said. “You know I won’t.”

  “I know,” she said.

  “Do you know why there’s a third of the devices?”

  “I’ll use it on your mouth before we’re done,” she said.

  “No, Dee,” I said. “It’s for you. Listen to me.” She stilled. “It’s for you and Bee. You will take it and order your sister to meet you in the middle. Then you will take turns using it on each other.”

  She said nothing for a minute then began moving again.

  “Tell my why you don’t like that.”

  “I want the resin,” she said. “There’s no resin out there. I like the resin. Bee likes the resin, too. It’s going to be even better. Red and Orange. I’ve never seen it both before. That’s you. Red and orange.”

  “Then bring Bee here,” I said. “You can do it here, in this cage. There’s plenty of resin for all three of us. You know I’ll go crazy watching you, but the longer this goes on, the longer you get to play with Bee and the resin. I bet you can paint with it. Won’t that be fun. Take some and put it on my nipples. Let’s see what happens.”

  She bent over sideways, swirled her hand in the resin, and lifted it. She reached under my shift and brushed both my breasts. It tingled and felt really, really good.
I moaned, and when I looked, the resin was to my knees.

  “Dee, you have to slow down now, or this will be over. Help me slow down. Take the third device and order Bee to come here. Tell her you’re going to play with her, and with the resin. Show her what you did to me and tell her she can do it to you.”

  She looked into my eyes. “I want you to lose, Claary.”

  “I can’t possibly win. Look at my legs. I bet it hasn’t even started on Olivia. But don’t let this end this fast. Help make it last, Dee. Think how much fun you and Bee can have.”

  She smiled and climbed from me. Olivia began issuing fresh orders to her, which she ignored. Instead she collected the third device, turning around so Olivia could see it. My opponent paused in her orders then said, “Yes, Dee. Use that on Claary. Tease her with it.”

  She teased me all right. She took it in her mouth and half swallowed it, and then she stepped to the front of the cage.

  “Call Bee now,” I said firmly. “Call her here, Dee. Order her to come play with you.”

  “Bee!” Dee said. “Come here and play with me.” She waved the device suggestively. “I’ll use this on you, and then you can use it on me.”

  Bee didn’t even hesitate. She fished out a key and unlocked the door.

  “What are you doing?” Olivia called. “Dee. Use that on Claary.”

  “Dee,” I said. “Bee is so much fun to play with. Invite her into the cage. Do you think you can cover her with resin before I lose?”

  She looked over. “No.”

  “But you’ll try.”

  She smiled. “Yes. We’ll try.” She turned back. “Come play, Bee.” It took a moment, and then Bee stepped inside.

  “Bee! Close that door,” Olivia ordered. Bee reached and followed that order.

  “Bee, kiss Dee,” I said.

  The two came together. They kissed, and Dee stroked her sister’s skin.

  I gave both of them encouragement. Olivia was ordering both of them to help finish me, but I kept whispering my own orders, and the two preferred mine.

  “Bee! Climb into Claary’s lap right now, or when she loses, I won’t let you play with her.”