balance.
'Are you afraid?' he asked.
'Yes, Master,' I said.
'Why?' he asked.
'I am in the presence of my master,' I said.
He continued to look upon me.
I then breathed more confidently. It seemed to me then that perhaps he only wished, really, to look upon my beauty, if beauty it were. Such things are not unusual with Gorean masters. It is not uncommon with them to have their girls strip, and turn before them, and assume attitudes and poses, and move in certain ways, and such. Gorean men, like lusty males generally, have an incredible appreciation of female beauty. Too, in the case of the slave, they own the girl. Thus they may command her, and have her perform, and precisely, as it pleases them, and she must, of course, obey with perfection. She is their slave. I suppose this is in part, at least, the result of an understandable desire to appreciate and take pleasure in one' s possessions, or what one might regard as one' s precious objects, or treasures. For example, we would not think it strange if a fellow of Earth, once in a while, drew forth his coin or stamp collection and spent some time lovingly pouring over it, scrutinizing and inspecting its items and such. He is very fond of them. Similarly, if it seems understandable that, say, a high magistrate, a general, a Ubar, or such, might enjoy sitting in his pleasure gardens and inspecting his women, having them before him naked, or clothed according to his preferences, it is just as understandable that a less rich or well-fixed person might, similarly, on a more modest level, enjoy the sight of his girl, or girls, indeed, the fewer he has, perhaps the more he will relish the one, or ones, he had. If one is a male, and has, occasionally, perhaps on the street, or, say, on a bus or in a subway, seen a woman whom one found attractive, perhaps one has considered, with pleasure, what might be within the power of a master, an owner of the female in question, what it might be to be able to say, simply, perhaps giving her a name that pleases you, 'Remove your garments, and perform.' Those to whom such considerations are not incomprehensible, because they have low-level sexual drives will not be able to make much sense of it. When one has ordered the girl stripped, and perhaps required performances of her, and such, it is then not unusual that one would make use of her. On the other hand, it is not always done. Sometimes the master, having relished her beauty, merely had her reclothe herself and return to her labors. This sort of thing, needless to say, can be arousing, and frustrating, to the female slave. It is hard to remove your clothing before a man, and perhaps be forced to perform before him, naked, and not be sensible of the keenly disturbing stirrings of one' s own needs. 'It is interesting,' he said.
'Master?' I asked.
'You are quite beautiful,' he said.
'Thank you, Master,' I said.
'But surely there are many women as beautiful,' he said.
'Master?' I asked, puzzled.
'What, then, is different about you?' he asked.
'I do not understand, Master,' I said.
'Are you an Earth woman?' he asked.
'In a sense, Master,' I said, 'the sense in which I am a woman from Earth. In another sense I am not an Earth woman. I am now only a Gorean slave girl.' 'What have you learned on Gor?' he asked.
'I have leaned to call men «Master», I said.
'Is that well put?' he asked.
'Master?' I asked.
'Why do you call men «Master», he asked.
'I understand, Master,' I said. 'Forgive me, Master. I spoke imprecisely. I should have expressed myself more clearly.'
He regarded me.
'I have learned on Gor that men are my masters,' I said. It was true. 'It is then suitable that you call them «Master», he said.
'Yes, Master,' I said.
'I have had your ears pierced,' he said.
'As it pleased you, Master,' I said.
'You are now only a pierced-ear girl,' he said.
'Yes, Master,' I said, puzzled.
'Do you know what that means?' he asked.
'I am not sure,' I said.
'Never hope, now, to be out of a collar,' he said.
'Yes, Master,' I said. I had gathered that he had, for some reason, or reasons, perhaps to make me more exciting to his customers, and men, in general, had my ears pierced. Too, in some way, I gathered, this had confirmed my slavery upon me, and made it a much more profound thing. But I did not care. I was a slave! 'Do you know why I had your ears pierced?' he asked.
'No, Master,' I said.
'There are various reasons for doing such a thing to a female slave,' he said. 'Master?' I asked.
'It improves her as a slave,' he said. 'It makes her more stimulatory, and more seductive. Too, it makes her more arousable, more excitable.'
'Yes, Master,' I said, blushing from head to toe.
'In this, too, there is an economic consideration. Such things improve her price.'
'Of course, Master,' I said.
'There are many reasons,' he said. 'Those are just a few.'
'I understand, Master,' I said.
'Too,' he said, 'in your case, I thought it particularly fitting.' 'Master?' I asked.
'You are a pierced-ear girl,' he said, 'and were, even before your ears were pierced.'
'Yes, Master,' I said, puzzled.
'I despise you,' he said.
I put my head down. I did not doubt but what he might despise me. But, too, I suspected his feelings toward me were more complicated. I was sure they exceeded a simple contempt for a bond wench.
'And so,' he said, 'I have had your ears pierced.'
'Yes, Master,' I said.
'You belong in a collar,' he said. 'Now it has been seen to that you will remain in it.'
'Yes, Master,' I said.
'Are you not distressed, ashamed?' he asked.
'No, Master,' I said.
'What a brazen, shameless slave,' he said.
'Yes, Master,' I said.
'You like being a slave,' he said.
'I am a slave,' I said. 'Thus I must acknowledge what is in my secret heart, confessing it openly, then finding my happiness and fulfillment in it.' 'You slit,' he said. 'You like being a slave.'
'Yes, Master,' I said. I supposed that I needed not tell him that I loved it! 'We are thinking of appointing a new first girl,' he said.
'I have heard rumors to that effect,' I admitted.
'What do you think of Tupita?' he asked.
'I speak for her,' I said.
He smiled. I supposed he knew how cruel Tupita had been to me, how we were enemies. On the other hand, I had told Tupita I would speak for her. Too, she had not belly chained and braceleted me as tightly as she might have, the night before last.
'Did she offer you the position of second girl for your support?' he asked. 'Third girl,' I said.
'Who would be second girl?' he asked.
'Sita,' I said.
He smiled.
